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The AMA says it has a good chance of winning the case due to what it calls the government’s obvious violation of the charter.

“Under the Canada Health Act, because physicians don’t have the right to strike or charge for services, there have to be measures put in place to secure fairness for physicians,” said Molnar.

Said AMA lawyer Patrick Nugent: “The actions of the government (we) identified really go to the core of what the charter’s freedom of association elements are about…the government’s position is ‘we did it because we can.’

“I don’t see any obvious basis to defend its conduct.”

Nugent said it’ll likely be two years before the case is heard.

The standoff between the two sides comes at a dangerous time, with the province grappling with the novel coronavirus pandemic but Molnar said it won’t impact physicians’ sense of duty.

“Physicians will do what they always do … it’s a sad statement our relationship with the government is at an historically low point,” she said.

Alberta Health Minister Tyler Shandro has been adamant the province took the high road in negotiations last fall and rescinded fee changes to longer, multi-issue visits — so-called complex modifiers.

“We have worked with the Alberta Medical Association on these items in good faith. We are looking for the same courtesy from physicians across the province,” Shandro said Friday.

The legality and purpose of the government’s policy on the physicians’ fiscal framework was defended Thursday in a statement from Shandro’s office.

And it said the lawsuit will have no effect on that decision.

“We exercised our legal right under the previous agreement,” stated Shandro’s press secretary Steve Buick.

Buick said spending on physicians will remain at $5.4 billion, the highest level ever.

“In fact we’ll likely spend significantly more due to the decisions we’ve made to support physicians and patients in the pandemic,” he added.

The province has said changes to physicians’ contracts will save taxpayers $2 billion over three years.

BKaufmann@postmedia.com

on Twitter: @BillKaufmannjrn