B.C. can’t privatize its way out of long surgical waits, Supreme Court says. What now? – CBC
The Supreme Court of Canada’s dismissal was 56 words long, but it spoke volumes
Apr 12, 2023
The Supreme Court of Canada’s dismissal was 56 words long, but it spoke volumes.
Canada’s highest court said it would not hear a Vancouver orthopedic surgeon’s appeal challenging B.C.’s key limits on private health care, ending Dr. Brian Day’s 14-year legal fight.
Health Minister Adrian Dix celebrated the dismissal as a “vindication” of the public health-care system Thursday morning.
As he did, more than 80,000 British Columbians were waiting for their surgeries in the public system. Some in the north and Interior have been waiting for more than two years.
Day and some advocates say persistent long waits prove the public system isn’t up to the task of fixing the backlog and fear the court is washing its hands of an important issue.
“This is a worse day for justice than it is for health care,” Day told CBC News Thursday.
