Once again the Muskeg Lake Cree Indian Band is in the news for planning to build a fee-for-service health clinic on its reserve. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation advocates for a parallel private health care system for all Canadians. However, this proposal illustrates why the Indian Act must be abolished and why the Canada Health Act must be amended in order for all Canadians to be treated equally.

Specifically, the Muskeg Lake Cree Indian Band is planning to construct a health clinic on its reserve near Saskatoon. The clinic will include a laboratory, pharmacy and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine.

How is this possible under the current system which prohibits fee-for-service health care

The Indian Act applies to Indian reservations and to those status Indians who choose to live on reservations. What is startling for most Canadians to learn is that the Indian Act exempts Indian reserves from several pieces of federal legislation. Two pieces of federal legislation that apply throughout Canada, but does not apply to Indian reservations are: the Canada Health Act, and Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Furthermore, provincial legislation and municipal bi-laws do not apply to Indian reserves.

It is precisely these exemptions that are making it possible for the Muskeg lake Cree Indian Band and other Indian communities, to begin the process of operating fee-for-service private health clinics.

Laws must be applied equally to all citizens, or not applied at all. Having two sets of laws for its citizens, as Canada does, is wrong both morally and intellectually. Canada must eliminate the current inequality which is brought about by the Indian Act by abolishing the Act.

Currently the Canada Health Act (CHA) prohibits the delivery of private health care services within Canada. The CHA should be amended to increase the role of the private sector. Successes of involving the private sector in the delivery of health-care can be seen in countries like, Germany, Australia, Sweden, Singapore and Britain.
Ottawa should learn from these countries and the Indian bands within Canada, by giving Canadians the choice of spending more of their own money to get better health care and more of it. Allowing a parallel, private system to co-exist along side the public system - as is done throughout the world - is key to improving Canada's health care system.

This requires an amendment to the Canada Health Act by replacing the principal of public administration with the principles of choice, sustainability, quality and accountability. The government will, of course, continue to provide support for core services, but also grant access to private providers to deliver health care.

It is very important native Canadians enter the mainstream of Canada's economy. Viable business ventures, like these, are one way to achieve this. However, for the sustainability of Canada's social, cultural and political fabric Canadian laws must apply equally to all citizens.