(February 9, 2026) By: Sarah Ritchie, The Canadian Press, 620CKRM<\/p>\n
A group of health care advocates is on Parliament Hill this week lobbying lawmakers and calling on the federal government to take a stand on Alberta\u2019s latest moves to expand private health care.<\/p>\n
Premier Danielle Smith\u2019s United Conservative Party government has passed legislation that allows Alberta surgeons to work in both the public and private health systems.<\/p>\n
It means people can pay for things like hip and knee replacements or cataract surgery in a private clinic, while the publicly funded system continues to provide emergency and cancer surgeries.<\/p>\n
The provincial government argues its dual-practice model will reduce pressure on the public health-care system and is used in countries such as the U.K., France, Australia, Germany and Denmark.<\/p>\n
Jason MacLean, chair of the Canadian Health Coalition, said the Alberta law violates the Canada Health Act, which is based on the principles of universality and accessibility.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe federal government needs to step up and defend universal public health care now,\u201d he told a press conference on Parliament Hill on Monday.<\/p>\n
MacLean said the federal government should withhold funding to provinces to enforce the law.<\/p>\n
Chris Gallaway, executive director of Friends of Medicare in Alberta, told the press conference federal Health Minister Marjorie Michel needs to speak up in support of public health care and the Canada Health Act.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve had months where the federal government has not taken a stance on what\u2019s happening in Alberta,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Gallaway called the Alberta legislation a \u201cgift to the private insurance industry\u201d and warned that American health-care companies could use it to seek a foothold in Canada.<\/p>\n
A spokesperson for Michel\u2019s office said the federal government takes a collaborative approach with the provinces and territories to ensure Canadians can access health care \u201cbased on their medical needs, not their ability to pay.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHealth Canada officials are engaging Alberta officials to better understand the various components and implications of these proposed changes. Minister Michel is also having regular conversations with her Alberta counterparts,\u201d said Guillaume Bertrand in a written response to questions.<\/p>\n
He also noted the government can deduct funding from the Canada Health Transfer to provinces for violations of the Canada Health Act\u2019s principles.<\/p>\n
The Alberta government rejects the claim that its legislation violates the Canada Health Act.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe act is silent on private practice operating outside the public system, and opt-out and dual-practice models in Alberta and other provinces have never been found to breach it,\u201d said Kyle Warner, a spokesperson for Alberta\u2019s primary and preventative health services ministry, in an email.<\/p>\n
Warner said the province will ensure that no Albertan will ever have to pay out-of-pocket to see a family doctor or \u201cget the medical treatment they need.\u201d<\/p>\n