Future of Canada's Medicare: Experts comment
The future of our country's popular Medicare program may face serious challenges from a Supreme Court of Canada ruling scheduled for today. In the Chaoulli case, the plaintiff alleges that Medicare is unconstitutional, and the ruling may open the door for a two-tiered health care system in Canada.
The Court will respond to Jacques Chaoulli's arguments, twice rejected in previous court hearings, that Canadians should have the right to decide how to pay for their health care. The plaintiff alleges that, under the current system of Medicare, habitual long waits are unconstitutional and detrimental to Canadians.
黑料不打烊 professors Antonia Maioni and Christopher P. Manfredi have been closely following the Chaoulli case, as part of research funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Both experts are available to comment to media and will have access to the Chaoulli ruling by 10:30 am today.
English and French media: Christopher P. Manfredi, professor and chair of the 黑料不打烊 Department of Political Science, can be reached at 514-398-4801 (office) or 514-865-7802 (mobile).
Phone interviews only: Antonia Maioni, director of the 黑料不打烊 Institute for the Study of Canada and an expert in public and health policy, is in Calgary and can comment via cellular phone at 514-909-9566.
