Canadian-style health-care in danger?

U.S. style health care? Not for us.

Intervenor group defending medicare

For-profit clinic CEO Brian Day has launched a lawsuit against Canada’s public health care system.

If he wins, many Canadians won’t be able to afford health care and we will have to wait longer for treatment.

We are a group of patients, doctors and health care advocates and we’re fighting for Canadians in this case.

You can view the full text of our opening arguments here.

We represent the vast majority of people in Canada who believe our ability to get health care should be based on need, not ability to pay.

Brian Day’s lawsuit wants U.S. style health care for Canada – where people go bankrupt, lose their homes and lifesavings, or worse, because they can’t afford treatment when they need it.

Canada’s health care system is admired worldwide. It keeps us healthy without having to choose between mortgage payments and medical bills. It’s important to protect it, and make it better for everyone.

Learn more about the people who are fighting to keep affordable, fair health care for all…

The court documents are currently housed on the BC Health Coalitions main website. You can access them HERE.


What’s at stake?

Canadian public health care.

In Canada, everyone is covered by public insurance and we can get basic treatment and care, no matter how much money we have. Under our current laws, private insurance companies don’t get to decide who gets care and who doesn’t.

Cambie Surgeries Corporation CEO Brian Day wants to change that.

He is trying to use the courts to change Canada’s health care system so that:

  • Doctors can charge patients unlimited amounts for all procedures and services – from routine check-ups to hip surgeries.
  • We move to an American-style system with parallel private care and insurance (putting private insurance companies in the position to deny patients health care coverage for basic services like visits to the emergency room or cancer treatment).

If Brian Day wins, many Canadians won’t be able to afford health care and we will have to wait longer for treatment – while the very wealthy pay to jump ahead in line.

We need real improvements to make our health care system work better for everyone, including shortening wait times.

Brian Day’s lawsuit would make things much worse for regular Canadians. A win for Day would be a loss for us.


The values behind our side in the case

Health care when you need it, not only when you can afford it – Everyone in Canada should be able to get the same quality health care based on their need, rather than their bank balance.

People’s health comes before corporations’ profit – CEO Brian Day’s lawsuit would make it easier for private insurance companies and for-profit facility owners like himself to line their pockets, at the expense of people in pain.

Evidence-based wait times solutions – Everyone deserves timely, quality care. There are proven steps we can take to shorten wait times for care, and these must be acted on immediately.

Brian Day’s lawsuit would allow a privileged few to pay to jump ahead in line while most Canadians would wait longer and/or be unable to afford care. That’s not fair, and it would be bad for our health and pocketbooks.