It is a lawsuit that has the potential to completely change, and possibly bring an end to what is considered a pillar of Canadian society, our public health care system.
Critics say the case brought by Dr Brian Day threatens the entire structure of Canada’s public health care system, one that for the most part provides equal care for rich or poor.
Dr Day who operates a private health care clinic in Vancouver, British Columbia says patients who have the money and who want faster access to medical procedures should be allowed to pay for it at clinics like his.
He also says he should be able to charge those patients above and beyond rates established and covered by provincial health care.
I reached Adam Lynes-Ford on the steps of the BC Supreme Court this morning. He is a campaigner with the British Columbia Health Coalition which has intervenor status in the case.
He begins with some background to the case
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To get to the legal aspect of this case I also spoke to Colleen Flood (LLM. SJD). She is the Director of the University of Ottawa Centre for Health Law, Policy, and Ethics.
ListenIt is expected that whichever side loses, Dr Day, or the BC government, it will appeal. The case would then go to the provincial appeals court, and likely the losing side would then appeal further to the Supreme Court of Canada.
The current case is expected to last until December.
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