Alberta Premier Ralph Klein is borrowing the mushy language of British Prime Minister Tony Blair to sell health care privatization in his home province and around the country.
Klein told a high-profile Calgary business audience this week that his government would seek a third way to reform health care between the United States and Canadian models.
We know what needs to be done, Klein said. It is time to get on with it.
But his third way is to dress commercialization in sheeps clothing. Privatization will still drain the public system, lessen quality and impede access, no matter what the spin doctors call it.
Even Klein should know that you cant be a little pregnant. You cant let privatization grow while cutting back the public system and expect quality and access to remain.
Calling for Albertas regional health authorities to be more innovative, Klein is doing his best to give privatization a new look by calling it a new name.
Third way? No way! was the response from CUPE National President Paul Moist.
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Klein told a high-profile Calgary business audience this week that his government would seek a third way to reform health care between the United States and Canadian models.
We know what needs to be done, Klein said. It is time to get on with it.
But his third way is to dress commercialization in sheeps clothing. Privatization will still drain the public system, lessen quality and impede access, no matter what the spin doctors call it.
Even Klein should know that you cant be a little pregnant. You cant let privatization grow while cutting back the public system and expect quality and access to remain.
Calling for Albertas regional health authorities to be more innovative, Klein is doing his best to give privatization a new look by calling it a new name.
Third way? No way! was the response from CUPE National President Paul Moist.
-30-