Premier Jason Kenney. (Supplied by United Conservative Party)

By Canadian Press

UCP members pass resolution at AGM calling for privately-funded health care option

Oct 19, 2020 | 10:23 AM

EDMONTON – Members of Alberta’s governing United Conservative Party have narrowly endorsed a resolution at their annual general meeting that supports the option of a privately-funded and privately managed healthcare system that would operate parallel to the public one.

The policy resolution was one of 30 that members approved during voting on Saturday, but it passed with the slimmest majority.

Just under 53 per cent of the 793 who voted supported the resolution in favour of allowing a privately-funded health option.

Premier Jason Kenney and his UCP government have previously proposed privately-delivered care for minor procedures, but have said any changes would still be funded publicly.

The resolution says that patients given a choice between public or private service would be able to divert themselves from public waitlists to the benefit of all patients.

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Christine Myatt, a spokeswoman in Kenney’s office, says the platform the government was elected on in 2019 states the UCP will “maintain a universally accessible, publicly funded health care system.”

(The Canadian Press)