Canadians want choice in health care

Canadians want choice in health care

There is one policy approved by a large majority of the Canadian electorate that has not been debated during the election campaign. The great absent is private health care.

A Canada-wide opinion poll carried out in December by Leger Marketing asked respondents. "Would you find it acceptable or not if the government were to allow those who wish to pay for health care in the private sector to have speedier access to this type of care while still maintaining the current free and universal health care system?" All over Canada, 58% of respondents answered yes, while 37% said no.

There is an absolute majority for allowing private health care everywhere, from 51% in the Prairies to 72% in Québec. The only exception is Ontario, where 49% answered positively, but note that only 45% answered negatively - still a relative majority for private health care.

The 58% majority in favour of parallel private health care seems to be increasing. In May 2004, the same question elicited a positive answer from 51% of Canadian respondents, seven percentage points less than today.