North York, Ontario: Former Saskatchewan premier Roy Romanow has proposed changing the Canada Health Act to limit funding for travelling Canadians who require emergency medical care outside of Canada. This penny-wise, pound-foolish measure affects not only retired travellers, but business travellers, families with small children and students vacationing outside of Canada's borders, says Canadian Snowbird Association (CSA) President Ellen White.

The CSA, representing the interests of some half-a-million travelling Canadians, had made a presentation to the Romanow Commission and had been anticipating a report supporting the original five principles of the Canada Health Act. "I was shocked to read that Mr. Romanow is proposing that our provinces not be responsible for their tax-paying citizens if they dare to step beyond their front doors. Illness and injury happen anywhere to anyone. If our provinces take care of citizens" emergency medical bills in-province, there is a moral obligation to continue taking care of those same citizens beyond Canada's borders," says Mrs. White.

Mr. Romanow supported the CSA's position that all Canadians, regardless of social status, should get the care they need, and that prevention through healthy living is the key to prolonged good health. The CSA believes in the importance of health-care dollars being spent in developing countries and offering linguistic aid to new Canadians when medical attention is required. It was horrified to learn, however, that Mr. Romanow is proposing that Canada turn its back on citizens who have lived, worked, paid and continue to pay taxes in this country.

"Mr. Romanow is wearing blinders," says Paul Jenkins, first vice-president and chair of the CSA Government Relations Committee. "These winter travellers are not asking for new or increased funding, nor are they jumping queues to get faster treatment in other countries. They purchase supplementary health insurance to cover their own health-care costs and are simply requesting that the same level of coverage be provided outside the country as it would be if an emergency arose in Canada."

It appears that Canadian citizenship now stops at the border.

For interviews:


Heather Nicolson-Morrison
Executive Director
Canadian Snowbird Association
1-800-805-8214
416-441-7062