The provincial government has rolled out what it calls an “aggressive” plan to make Alberta’s public health system “more efficient” and accessible for all, but when health minister Ron Liepert announced the plan in Edmonton April 16, he offered few details and dodged reporters’ questions regarding privatization.

The province’s first priority, Liepert said, is to “improve how health care is managed” by overhauling the governance model of Alberta’s health system. However, Liepert didn't say how the governance model would change or how the province’s plan would impact future budgets. “I’m a firm believer that it’s time to take another look at how we deliver health care in Alberta — who manages it, how it’s governed,” Liepert said. The details of the overhaul will be released by mid-June.

Liepert refused to answer several questions regarding privatization and the possibility of delisting services covered by medicare. “Everything is on the table,” he said numerous times. When asked if he’d stand up to the public like former premier Ralph Klein and push for privatization, Liepert said, “I maintain that we have 72 MLAs who are the best test of what Albertans think out there. I can certainly tell you that when I was knocking on doors a month ago, my constituents said… the system is broke. Fix it, and don’t throw more money at it.”

Liepert says the province’s plan won’t challenge the Canada Health Act. However, when a reporter told him that some Albertans were concerned about a new private clinic opening in Calgary in September, Liepert dismissed the concerns. “Those same people, I think, are the same people I would put in the category of not being open to change,” Liepert said, adding he won’t review the legality of the clinic. “If we can make the changes that we are proposing over the period of time, there will be less requirement, less feeling by Albertans that they would need that kind of a facility.”

When asked directly whether or not the government would embrace privatization if the health budget keeps ballooning while health regions run larger deficits, Liepert replied: “Your question started with the word ‘if.’ I don’t answer ifs, ands, or buts.”

Ted Woynillowicz of the Friends of Medicare says Liepert isn’t being upfront with Albertans. “He’s not really answering the questions,” says Woynillowicz. “What I’ve heard… is slipping and sliding, sidestepping, using clichés, sound bites and talking points…. I would like to see him be upfront with people and listen to Albertans, because the majority still say that public health care is the way to go.”

Part of the province’s plan also involves recruiting more foreign-trained health professionals. A reporter asked whether this would involve recruiting doctors from developing countries, where medical needs are greater. “I won’t accept the comment that I believe I heard you say — ‘stealing’ from other countries,” said Liepert. “I am told there are a number of foreign-trained professionals who want to come here. And so we want to ensure that if they want to come here, we will make it as accessible to be registered in this province… as we are able to.”

Later in the news conference, Liepert was asked again about recruiting physicians from countries like South Africa, where there’s already a doctor shortage. “There’s a worldwide competition for all health care professionals,” said Liepert. “If we are so narrow-minded to sit here and think that there aren’t other countries in the world trying to come and recruit our best people to warmer places, then we’re fooling ourselves."