Changes to Two Welfare States

No two welfare states, or welfare systems are the same, all of them are unique. They are all run differently, and offer different benefits for different costs to their citizens. All welfare systems in a way create a class system based on who uses the welfare provided and who does, who has access to the social programs in place and who has no access. When one doctor and one patient, in 2005, challenged the Québec Health Insurance Act and the Hospital Insurance Act to allow private health care in Québec they changed the potential of the Canadian universal health care system. President Barack Obama is currently making a very serious attempt to bring a successful universal health care to the United States of America, which will drastically change the lives of Americans, as well as the American welfare system entirely. Interestingly the changes that were fought for in 2005 in Canada would result in creating a gap between people who could afford better health care and the others who could not, yet the changes that President Obama is fighting tooth and nail to create will, if effective narrow the gap between those who have access to health care and those who do not. It seems that some middle ground is trying to be found between the two countries.

In 2005, the supreme court of Canada ruled that the Québec health insurance act and the hospital insurance act prohibiting private medical insurance in instances when long wait times are a reality, violated the Québec charter of human rights and freedoms. The vote was 4 to 3. This ruling is only binding in the province of Québec but does set a president should the argument come up in other provinces or territories. Leading this fight was a 73-year-old man, George Zeliotis, who was a patient on...

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...w long the wait list is for this service, it cannot be privately insured or produced and sold in Canada. Yet in 2005, when the Supreme Court of Canada found this to be in violation of Québec’s constitution, the possibility of change was born. Since the Chaoulli v. Québec (Attorney General), in Chaoulli’s favour has led to the expansion of private facilities offering core care in and outside of Québec. In other Canadian provinces, it is understood that private health care will not be charged because of the precedent set in Québec. This same precedent has led many to believe this sets the standard to understand that Canada is well on its way to developing a two-tier health care system. This would change the class system in the country drastically.

If Canada were to adopt a two-tier health care system nationally, it would result in a clear division between classes.