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BC considering offering 'surgical tourism': Sask. health minister

After news broke last week that British Columbia offered 400 surgery spaces to people from Saskatchewan, Health Minister Kevin Falcon declined to say to what other jurisdictions B.C. is negotiating selling services.

But his Saskatchewan counterpart, Don McMorris, today provided some insight. “They're looking at, for lack of a better word, surgical tourism,” he told reporters in a scrum, a recording of which was provided to the Tyee.

“They're looking at inviting people from all over, not just Saskatchewan, but from down in the States if they need a procedure done that they can accommodate,” he said. “People coming up to British Columbia, spending some time in British Columbia and being able to get a procedure.”

Falcon mentioned during question period in the legislature last week that B.C. was talking with other jurisdictions besides Saskatchewan, but provided no further details when asked about it in the hallway.

“I don't want to, actually, I shouldn't say that,” he said on Oct. 29. “I don't want to speculate on other jurisdictions except to know that we've had lots of interest in what we've been doing in the surgical innovation side in British Columbia.”

Falcon is looking at selling B.C. surgeries to the highest bidder, said New Democratic Party health critic Adrian Dix. “I think the people here deserve better than that,” he said. “We paid for these services, people in B.C. paid for these services. It's not just disrespectful, but probably a violation of the law.”

Andrew MacLeod is The Tyee’s Legislative Bureau Chief in Victoria. Reach him here.

6  Comments:

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  • salty dog

    2 years ago

    Falcon is already morally dead

    More details here on this story.Including transcript from todays question period when Falcon started backpeddling....

    Campbell and Falcon by stealth were caught trying to sell our public health care system,BCers wait while our taxpayer services are re-sold to Americans!

    Enjoy the read

    http://powellriverpersuader.blogspot.com/2009/11/devilhis-name-be-kevin-falcon.html

  • salty dog

    2 years ago

    It`s illegal........

    According to the Canada health act it would be illegal to sell our services for a premium.

    It`s laid out in the Canada health act,the reason it is illegal is because....If it wasn`t illegal people(creatures) like Falcon and Campbell would be collecting from taxpayers while at the same time re-selling our surgeries out of country or province,how would we know who`s getting what surgery?

    Should we take Falcon or Campbell`s word on it? They are both PROVEN LIARS...Here is the link to the Canada health act,it`s a short overview of the LAW...It`s a short read,but selling our services are definately illegal!

    http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hcs-sss/medi-assur/cha-lcs/overview-apercu-eng.php

    Cheers

  • salty dog

    2 years ago

    Sorry about that first link

    More details on this story here...

    http://powellriverpersuader.blogspot.com/2009/11/meet-devilhis-name-be-kevin-falcon.html

    Including transcript from todays question period in the legislature.

  • bougie

    2 years ago

    dangerous

    We still have shortages of health professionals and doctors. Now we are going to use these folks to provide services to the highest bidder. Guess what is going to happen to BC residents that need the same services.

    ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE.

  • sunshine coast girl

    2 years ago

    Those guys would sell

    their mothers if they thought they could get away with it. They have absolutely zero morals and even less credibility. We can't wait four years to get rid of them. Recall!!!

  • freebear

    2 years ago

    Time for a mental health evaluation Falcon!

    But do not be surprised if you have to wait for an appointment!

    I think anything Falcon says on the subject should be introduced by the Looney Tunes theme!

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