Alberta health care protests planned over two-tier legislation

The group Friends of Medicare is organizing rallies in Red Deer and other Alberta communities to protest the Health Statutes Amendment Act, also known as Bill 11. The legislation, which passed last December, is scheduled to take effect on September 1.

Critics argue the act establishes an unprecedented two-tiered health care model by allowing physicians to work in both public and private systems simultaneously. This dual-practice model permits doctors to charge patients out-of-pocket for medically necessary services.

A legal opinion from Goldblatt Partners LLP for the Canadian Health Coalition suggests the bill violates the Canada Health Act’s requirements for comprehensiveness, accessibility, and universality, specifically regarding prohibitions against user fees and extra-billing. Protesters are calling on Prime Minister Mark Carney and federal Health Minister Marjorie Michel to enforce federal law to protect Canada’s single-payer Medicare system.