The Canadian Club of Winnipeg
November 20, 2002
Speech: Creating a National Health Care System for Canadians
Roy Romanow, Commissioner
Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada
Friends, early in my mandate, I challenged those advocating radical
“private” solutions for reforming health care– user-fees, medical savings
accounts, de-listing services, greater privatisation, a parallel private
system — to come forward with evidence that these approaches would improve
and strengthen our health care system.
The evidence has not been forthcoming.
I have also carefully explored the experiences of other jurisdictions with
co-payment models and with public-private partnerships, and have found these
lacking.
There is no evidence these solutions will deliver better or cheaper care, or
improve access (except, perhaps, for those who can afford to pay for care
out of their own pockets). More to the point, the principles on which these
solutions rest cannot be reconciled with the values at the heart of medicare
or with the tenets of the Canada Health Act that Canadians overwhelmingly
support.
It would be irresponsible of me to jeopardize what has been, and can remain,
a world-class health care system and a proud national symbol, by accepting
anecdote as fact, or on the dubious basis of “making a leap of faith”.
Tossing overboard the principles and values that govern our health care
system would be betraying a public trust. Canadians will not accept this,
and without their consent, these so-called “new” solutions are doomed to
fail. Canadians want their health care system renovated; they don’t want it
demolished.
Some have described it as a perversion of Canadian values that they cannot
use their money to purchase faster treatment from a private provider for
their loved ones. I believe it is a far greater perversion of Canadian
values to accept a system where money rather than need, determines who gets
access to care.
My final report will address this issue in very direct terms, and in a way
that is consistent with what Canadians want and expect from their health
care system.