EDMONTON: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) today called on Alberta Health Minister Iris Evans to end the ban on private insurance. The Alberta Health Care Insurance Act has similar provisions to the Quebec law struck down by the Supreme Court yesterday, which prevents people from spending their own after-tax dollars on their own health care.

In a letter to Iris Evans, CTF-Alberta director John Carpay writes:

"In light of yesterday's Supreme Court ruling in Chaoulli, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) urges you to end Alberta's ban on the purchase and sale of private health care insurance.

In its decision, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that suffering - and dying - while waiting for "non-urgent" medical care violates our right to "life, liberty and security of the person." The court noted, on the basis of unchallenged evidence before it, that delays for surgery cause irreparable physical injury, and can even result in death. Further, living in pain for months - or years - while waiting for surgery interferes with the quality and enjoyment of life, not to mention a person's ability to earn a living.

As you know, the Alberta Health Care Insurance Act has similar provisions to the Quebec law struck down by the Supreme Court yesterday. Canada, North Korea and Cuba are the only countries in the world which outlaw the freedom to spend one's own after-tax income on one's health.

Please do not be guided by the emotional rhetoric about "two-tier" health care. We already have a "two-tier" system in place: those who are wealthy enough to jet off to the U.S. can obtain timely quality care, but the rest of us are forced to wait for government care. In other words, Albertans are allowed to spend their own money on alcohol, tobacco, fancy vacations, jewelry, VLTs, fast food . . . but not on better health care or faster health care. Alberta's law allows us to spend as much as we want on the health of our dog or cat, but not on the health of our child.

Premier Klein has said much about the need to reform health care, but has done very little.

Here is an opportunity for your government to act in the interests of patients and taxpayers, by amending the Alberta Health Care Insurance Act.

Please be assured that reforms towards more accountability and choice will receive full and public support from the CTF."