Albertans protest two-tier health care<\/p>\n
Published 2:38 pm Monday, March 16, 2026<\/p>\n
Public health care supporters across Canada took part in a National Day of Action to demand \u2014 No Two-Tier Health Care \u2014 at lunch-time rallies on Monday.<\/p>\n
Health coalitions throughout the country held demonstrations pushing for federal action to enforce the Canada Health Act in the face of Alberta legislation that coalitions say violates the act by opening the door to two-tier health care, and the for-profit American health care insurance industry.<\/p>\n
In Alberta, protests were held outside the Calgary constituency office of Liberal MP Corey Hogan, and at Liberal MP Eleanor Olszewki\u2019s office in Edmonton.<\/p>\n
Bill 11: The Health Statutes Amendment Act, which was passed in the Alberta Legislature in December 2025, allows physicians to provide insured services through the provincial health insurance plan while also delivering private services.<\/p>\n
Alberta will be the only jurisdiction in Canada to allow doctors to work in both systems at once, and the UCP government claims the legislation to permit Dual Practice Surgical Model will decrease wait times.<\/p>\n
But Friends of Medicare says Albertans without the money to pay for quicker private care will have to wait longer for public health care.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is unequivocally the biggest threat to our single-payer, universal Medicare system that we\u2019ve ever seen,\u201d the organization said.<\/p>\n
United Nurses of Alberta said Bill 11 is a danger to public medicare everywhere in Canada, and called on Prime Minister Mark Carney and federal Health Minister Marjorie Michel to enforce the Canada Health Act.<\/p>\n
Albertans who want Bill 11 to be repealed, oppose all measures to permit private American-style health care, and support public health care by building up capacity and workforce solutions within the public system, are encouraged to sign the No Two-Tier Health Care<\/a> petition.<\/p>\n