Smith jabs at Ottawa in defence of Alberta's dual-practice health care system

EDMONTON— Premier Danielle Smith has called on the federal government to respect the UCP's authority over health care, in response to concerns raised by Canada's health minister about the legality of Alberta's upcoming dual-practice health care expansion. In an article published in the Toronto Star on Sunday, Federal Health Minister Marjorie Michel said she is "very concerned" about Alberta's proposed system and fears it could violate the "comprehensive" and "accessibility" aspects of the Canada Health Act. "Alberta’s dual practice model does not violate the Canada Health Act," wrote Smith in an X post on Tuesday. "The Act does not prohibit private practice outside the publicly insured system." "Albertans who choose to pay privately for eligible elective surgery should be able to do so here at home, rather than travelling out of province as they have done for decades." .In the article, Michel called for the UCP to hold further discussions with her ministry to ensure the concerns do not materialize. Sources told the Toronto Star that if violations occur, Michel may consider imposing discretionary penalties on Alberta's health transfer payments. Some Albertans have pushed back against Smith's increasingly co-operative relationship with Ottawa under Prime Minister Mark Carney. Smith dusted off the boxing gloves in her Tuesday statement and called on the federal government to stay out of Alberta's jurisdiction. "Let me be clear: the administration and delivery of health care is an area of provincial jurisdiction, not federal," Smith wrote. "We expect the federal government to respect Alberta’s jurisdiction and its authority to determine how health care is delivered in this province." .The UCP claims it is giving physicians the power to perform surgeries in both the public and private sectors, rather than an "either-or" approach, in an effort to reduce wait times, give Albertans more health care options and attract new doctors.Like many health care associations that have previously spoken out, Michel is reportedly concerned that the system, as currently proposed, will inevitably lead physicians to prioritize private services over public ones. "We remain committed to building a stronger public system and ensuring Albertans never have to pay out of pocket for medically necessary care - which is a commitment we have made under our Public Health Care Guarantee," Smith wrote. .Alberta NDP leader Naheed Nenshi responded to the story on Monday, saying he sent Prime Minister Mark Carney to take action against the expansion in June, and the federal government is now responding. "Danielle Smith and the UCP don’t care about public health care," wrote Nenshi in an X post. "They’ve destroyed the public system and are now privatizing it so that the wealthy and UCP donors can benefit from a for-profit, two-tiered, American-style scheme." The Alberta NDP's shadow health minister, Sarah Hofman, said, "Triage should be based on need not ability to pay."Alberta's dual-practice health care model is expected to begin in September, and Michel is reportedly waiting to see results before taking further action.

Smith jabs at Ottawa in defence of Alberta's dual-practice health care system

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