Quebec to Nationalize Private Abortion Clinics

[August1991]

I admit that this one is weird, and teh Quebec government may still back down.

Medical clinics must be equipped with operating rooms if they are to perform surgery, according to a new law that could force the closure of at least three private abortion clinics.

As of Sept. 30, all medical clinics in Quebec that perform surgery, including abortions, must be equipped with operating rooms.

The Alternative Clinic in South Centre Montreal, for one, can't afford the $25,000 renovation and says it will be forced to close if Law 34 goes into effect next month.

CTV

Morgentaler's Clinic is among those to be closed.

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If I understand properly, there are about 30,000 abortions conducted annually in Quebec. About 5,000 of these abortions are conducted in three private clinics in Montreal. (RAMQ covers the costs of Quebecers who receive an abortion at these private clinics. This is what Americans call "single payer".)

For some reason, teh Quebec government is about to pass a law that will shut these private clinics down. (Public sector hospitals/clinics in Montreal don't have the capacity to take up the slack so women will have to be sent off the island of Montreal.)

I have a suspicion that Charest's feminism credentials will take precedence over a purely public health system. Indeed, maybe Charest (perhaps the most cynical politician in Canada) has designed the issue this way.

“Off the top, it’s clear we do not want in any way to limit access to abortion in Quebec,” Bolduc told reporters. “I am for free choice so we have to offer the service."

The Gazette

It is always interesting how the "progressive" left juggles priorities. In this case, it's the choice been an entirely government run health system and a women's right to an abortion. I wonder what Jack Layton would say? Harper had the best response, speaking to Obama in a different context:

"Canadians support their own health-care system. As for the rest of this question my only answer is that this is an American debate, and the responsibility of the provinces."

Link Edited August 11, 2009 by August1991

[Smallc]

There's no such thing as a public hospital in Canada.

[jdobbin]

There's no such thing as a public hospital in Canada.

In what way do you mean?

[Smallc]

They aren't nationalized. They are all private in one form or another. even if the government owns the building, they don't run the facility.

[crazykai]

Canada has a publically administed insurance program that covers certain procedures based on certain circumstances, some of which are within certain amounts based on both federal and provincial regulations. Another name for it is "single payer". It is not a government owned system, it is not socialized medicine.

[Bryan]

They aren't nationalized. They are all private in one form or another. even if the government owns the building, they don't run the facility.

I know a lot of them are, but ALL of them? Surely some smaller communities own their hospitals. Nearly all the hospitals in Manitoba are operated by regional health authorities set up by the government.

[Smallc]

It often seems that way, but it isn't exactly true. St. Boniface Hospital for Example is managed through the St. Boniface Foundation and the Catholic Health Network of Manitoba. The same company owns the two small hospitals nearest my town. They are all private entities of one form or another. That said, they have a heavy government influence and are often almost exclusively funded by government. They are legally not government though....and the regional health authorities are only partly government. It's complicated.

That said, there might be a couple of public hospitals that I don't know about, but I doubt that they'd be owned by the primary funder (the province).

[Mr.Canada]

If young people were raised with a stronger moral code then most of them are today we'd have no need for these butcher shops. Instead we have parents smoking dope with their kids and telling them premarital sex is awesome and encouraging them to try it. They say no need for protection I'll drive you to the abortion clinic in the morning.