VICTORIA/REGINA: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation's (CTF), Centre for Aboriginal Policy Change (Centre) responded today to the Muskeg Lake Cree's contemplation to purchase a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) unit and operate a fee-for-service health clinic on its urban reserve.

"Should the federal and provincial governments agree to this proposition the Canadian taxpayer will be on the losing end," stated Tanis Fiss, the Centre's director.

The Muskeg Lake Cree received a $15,000 federal grant to study the initiative of establishing a health clinic, including a MRI, on their urban reserve near Saskatoon. The Indian band plans to bill the government and/or agency, such as the Workers' Compensation Board, for an individuals use of the MRI.

"Not only will taxpayers pay for the purchase of the MRI, taxpayers will also pay for the use of the MRI. To add insult to injury, the Muskeg Lake Cree reserve's profits would be tax exempt, even though the members of the Muskeg Lake Cree community have equal access to public health-care," continued Fiss.

The Saskatchewan government has long opposed the operation of private MRI clinics in the province.

"Health-care reform must happen if we are to preserve the funded principles of health-care. It is completely hypocritical for Premier Calvert to support this concept. There is no difference between this proposal and what is currently happening in Alberta. For years, Premier Calvert has condemned "for profit" medicine as being a betrayal of Tommy Douglas' vision for health-care. Consideration
of native-operated for-profit MRI clinics is a complete 180 degree turn for this government," stated David MacLean, Saskatchewan provincial director.

"If Indian bands are permitted to operate fee-for-service MRI clinics, then other Canadian entrepreneurs should be given the same opportunity," concluded Fiss.