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Every year, more than 40,000 Canadians pay for health care in … other countries. That’s money that could be and should be spent at home here in Canada

“The Supreme Court has given provincial governments two choices: either somehow figure out a way to get rid of waiting lists, or if you can’t do that, you have to allow people the right to access health care outside the government’s monopoly system,” Mr. Carpay said.

The ruling was not binding outside Quebec, which means similar challenges would have to be launched on a province-by-province basis.

However, since Chaoulli, little has changed in Quebec, and few private insurers are offering coverage for services provided by the public system.

“Every year, more than 40,000 Canadians pay for health care in … other countries. That’s money that could be and should be spent at home here in Canada,” said Mr. Carpay, who unsuccessfully ran for a seat in the Alberta legislature under the Wildrose Party banner.

He claimed only two other countries had followed Canada’s example of a single-tier, fully taxpayer-funded system: North Korea and Cuba.

“The focus is to follow examples of other countries like Germany, Austria and Switzerland that allow private health insurance and that do not have waiting lists.”

Dr. Tom Noseworthy, a professor of health policy and management at the University of Calgary, said evidence contradicts that claim. “In the places that have the most private insurance, the public waits the longest,” he said. “Expanding private insurance does not reduce the public waiting times, that’s been made clear in the U.K. and in Australia.”