Rarely does a throne speech warrant applause, but this years opening legislative address was a welcome dose of reality. Well, at least, with respect to health care.

The Valentine's Day speech was littered with the usual grandiose language like 'transformative change' and promises to make British Columbia a 'global powerhouse of innovation, inspiration, and wealth creation.'

The star gazing ends, however, with the topic of health care. Unlike other levels of government, the province has taken a giant leap forward by simply asking the tough questions about the financial sustainability of our health care system and its ability to deliver all that it has promised.

The Campbell government deserves a standing ovation for removing the ideological blinders that every other elected government in Canada hides under. The throne speech candidly acknowledges, as the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) has for years, that "the escalation in health care costs is not sustainable."

Granted, the provincial government has not promised much in terms of specifics, save a European health care junket, a new foundation and province-wide dialogue. But the first step to solving any problem is to acknowledge that there is, in fact, a problem.

The throne speech outlined the difficulties in sticking to the five principles of the out-dated Canada Health Act. "After four decades of public health care, supported by over $1.5 trillion dollars in public expenditures, those five principles remain largely undefined."

The speech aptly notes, "Canadians are well ahead of their political leaders on this issue. They are right to demand reform and improvements - and B.C. is leading the way."

Bravo! Is this the 'tipping point' that a growing number of taxpayers and patients have been waiting for

There is no doubt that the recent Supreme Court ruling helped to pull the provincial government's head out of the sand. The justices delivered the first welcome blow to Canada's health care monopoly in the Chaoulli case.

The ruling found that legally prohibiting the provision and purchase of private medical insurance in Quebec violated the Quebec Charter and perhaps even the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (the justices were split on the latter). The ruling noted a prohibition on private medical insurances "is not necessary to guarantee the integrity of the public plan." In other words, the government can not deny you care (including private alternatives) if the state system fails to deliver.

Shortly after the decision was handed down, George Abbott was appointed the province's new health minister. The CTF sent the new minister a letter urging him to repeal British Columbia's own prohibition on private medical insurance. Not only is such a prohibition constitutionally questionable but also unnecessarily restricts a patient's freedom to choose.

Four months later, the minister replied that his office would not repeal the law and instead focus resources so that people wouldn't need private insurance. Disappointed but certainly not surprised, the CTF continued to work with other stakeholders that want to see a sustainable public health care system and freedom for patients to use their after tax dollars on private medical services.

One such individual, Dr. Brian Day of the Cambie Surgical Clinic has been an undeterred ally of patient choice. His nomination from the BC Medical Association to head the national Canadian Medical Association was fortuitously announced the same day as the provincial throne speech. Perhaps, the stars are aligning for real change to our debacle of a health care system; change for patients, doctors, nurses and of course, taxpayers.

Once again, bravo Mr. Campbell! The CTF maintains that removing the prohibition on the purchase and sale of private medical insurance should be the province's first item aimed at improving and transforming our health care system. We eagerly await the opportunity to contribute to a rational discussion on health care reform.