As my flight heads back from southern climes on the Easter weekend and I embark on the task of writing my last Bulletin message to our members, I began reflecting on the future of health care in Canada. Perhaps it was after a week away from the hubbub of my busy routine, or perhaps it was just a random “glass is half full day”, but I was struck by a chord of unusual optimism.

As some of you know, both the Canadian Orthopaedic Association (COA) and Brian Day’s consortium, including the British Columbia Orthopaedic Association, have been successful in achieving intervenor status in the landmark “Chaoulli” health law case to be heard June 8, 2004 in Ottawa. Brian Day and I both agree that Mr. Zeliotis’ (total hip patient in Chaoulli case) individual rights under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms were violated. We are however seeking different remedies. The COA/CMA case, as put forward in our factum submitted to the Supreme Court of Canada last month, basically wants changes made to the Canada Health Act including defined waiting times. The British Columbia consortium’s remedy would be the evolution of a parallel private health care system.

I, like many of you, feel the “status quo” is not an option but orthopaedic surgeons, as physicians in general, and indeed Canadians as a whole, are split on which remedy they would prefer. Mr. Darrell Bricker, President of Ipsos Reid Canada, recently told me that Canadians are not yet at the “Alamo” in health care – when asked if we were at least in Oklahoma or New Mexico, he told me that less than 20% of Canadians today would vote for a parallel private system. I personally am sick and tired of seeing patients being denied timely access to quality care and feel strongly that the time for change is now.

To come back to my present day optimism, I believe the stars are aligning and things will change for the better in the not too distant future. Our Prime Minister, Paul Martin, presently burned by the sponsorship fiasco and other inherited baggage, is looking for a lifeline - and health care remains the number one concern of Canadians. The Canadian public is more aware than ever of how access to care has deteriorated in this country.

Combine Chaoulli, Paul Martin’s “lifeline” and continued efforts by organized medicine to focus on timely access to quality care, and I believe that my optimism is not misguided. Our patients deserve better, and the time has come for meaningful change.

In closing, this is my last COA Bulletin Presidential message and I wanted to thank each and every one of our members for their tremendous support during a difficult year. Mr. Doug Thomson and his staff at both the COA and the Canadian Orthopaedic Foundation have done us proud steering us through such turbulent times. I also would like to take this opportunity to wish Dr. Alain Jodoin every success as he takes over the reins as President at our COA Annual Meeting in Calgary June 18 – 20, 2004.