Citizenship & Immigration Minister Chris Alexander said the government will comply with a Federal Appeal Court ruling last Friday, and restore the Interim Federal Healthcare program for refugees in Canada.
ListenCritics, however, are taking the government to task for not fully restoring the program. According to Peter Showler, spokesman for the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers, one of three groups that took the government to court over the changes imposed in 2012, this is a partial victory.
Last July, the Federal Court ruled the changes to the Interim Federal Health Plan, that the majority Conservative government imposed, were unconstitutional and described them as “cruel and unusual”.
The government had requested a stay until the appeal is heard but the request was denied on Friday, October 31, 2014.
Showler said, “The Minister has sowed more confusion in a system that has already been confused since 2012.” He said there are still people in certain categories of refugees without complete health coverage.
Privately sponsored refugees, for example, those who have been resettled by church groups, or a group of concerned citizens or family members are still not covered for drugs or supplemental health benefits. These benefits are particularly important for those arriving traumatized or maimed from war zones.
“We are doing this because the court has ordered us to do it. We respect that decision while not agreeing with it, Minister Alexander said yesterday.
A notice on the website of the Department of Citizenship and Immigration said, “Under the temporary measures, most beneficiaries are eligible to receive coverage for hospital, medical and laboratory services, including pre- and post natal care as well as laboratory and diagnostic services.”
Peter Showler, also a former chair of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, says these temporary measures are “not anywhere near full compliance”
In his announcement the Immigration Minister said the temporary measures would cost the government C$4 million to implement. Peter Showler, counters that claim. “One of the major cost issues was hospitals and institutions were seeing people arriving in extreme medical conditions two weeks later because they hadn’t gone for preventative actions.”
Showler said he is discussing the government’s move with the other groups that challenged the 2012 cuts, the Canadian Doctors for Refugee Care and Justice for Children and Youth. They may file a contempt motion and ask the court to order full compliance.
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