Preliminary Programme

The June 8 th 2005 Supreme Court of Canada (Chaoulli-Zeliotis), legalizing private health insurance in Quebec, rejected arguments that the pain and disability of waiting were justifiable in order to preserve the public system. The goal of this conference is to provide answers to long debated questions regarding the Canadian medical system.

• Should other provinces revise their legislation to conform to the principles set forth by the Court or will they face court challenges of their own? What will the impact be inside and outside Quebec?

• A whole new range of finance and insurance products will be developed. Learn what lies ahead if private health insurance for all Canadians becomes a reality. How will you advise clients wishing to pursue private health opportunities? What does the decision ultimately mean for Canadians and what does it mean for your business?

• An economic boom? With the prospect of $40 billion dollars of new non government funding being directed into health care delivery in Canada each year, and with the potential for Canada to participate in and benefit from the $1.6 trillion dollar U.S. health system, might we witness the biggest stimulus that Canada's economy has ever seen?

• Medical Professionals: Is a new European style health system evolving in Canada? Are you ready to participate and what are the rules? Should you find a location or set aside time for private practice?

• What is the potential boost to hospitals, medical device and technology companies, and those involved in facility design, operation and construction? How might changes impact the practice and funding of nurses, nurse practitioners and other health workers?

Conference Day 1 – Friday, November 11 th 2005

6:30 a.m. Registration and Continental Breakfast

7:30 a.m. Welcoming remarks and Introduction
Brian Day, Conference Chair

7:40 a.m. The Canadian Health System: A Reality Check
Brian Day

• The current system: its strengths and failures
• Private sector role in Canada: Past, Present and Future

8:05 a.m. A Strong and Free Canada: Critical Surgery for Health Care.
Preston Manning

• The relationships of federal and provincial governments in health care financing and delivery
• Improving the financial health and efficiency of health care delivery in Canada

Constitutional and Legal Issues:

8:40 a.m. Moderator: Mary Anne Bobinski

8:40 a.m. The Supreme Court of Canada Decision in Chaoulli-Zeliotis
Peter Hogg

• The decision, the reasoning, and the likely impact outside of Quebec  
• The constitutional implications for the private provision of health care and health care insurance alongside a universal public system.

9:15 a.m. The Chaoulli - Zeliotis Case: Constitutional Issues and Impact?
Robin Elliot

• Relevance of Supreme Court ruling in other provinces
• Are new challenges likely to occur and succeed?

9:35 a.m. Private Health Insurance in Canada: Legal status after the Chaoulli-Zeliotis decision.
Marvin Storrow

• Quebec health insurance: its legal status
• Can non-Quebec residents purchase such insurance?
• Legal implications of direct payment for medical care

10:00 a.m. Refreshment Break

10:15 a.m. Moderator: Janice R. Dillon

10:15 a.m. The Auton and Chaoulli-Zeliotis Cases: A Contrast in Legal Arguments; is there a definition of "medically necessary"?
Chris Hinkson

10:35 a.m. Commercial implications of private health care and its relationship to the Canada Health Act.
Judy Wilson

• The Canada Health Act after Chaoulli-Zeliotis
• Should the Act be changed?
• The Federal Government’s jurisdiction
• Is there a rationale for exempted groups (RCMP, WCB, etc)?

11:00 a.m. Remembrance Day

11:10 a.m. Legal Panel: The National Impact of the Chaoulli-Zeliotis Ruling:
Moderator: Mary Anne Bobinski

Panel: Janice R. Dillon, Robin Elliott, Chris Hinkson, Hon Wally Oppal, Marvin Storrow, Peter Hogg, Judy Wilson, Jacques Chaoulli

12:00 p.m. Canadian Premiere: "Dead Meat" A U.S documentary film on the Canadian Health Care System: Stuart Browning and Blaine Greenberg

12:30 p.m. Lunch

International Health

1:15 p.m. Moderator : William Orovan

1:15 p.m. The Senate Committee Report and Beyond
Senator Michael Kirby

• Recommendations for reform
• How and why the Senate intervened
• Is the result a victory for patients?
• The next steps: where should we go from here?

1:50 p.m. Evolution of the NHS and Private Centres in Britain
Charles Auld

• History, evolution and recent trends in the British NHS
• Public – Private relationships
• Lessons for Canada : what to adopt, what to reject

2:25 p.m. Health Care Delivery and Funding in Continental Europe
Johan Hjertqvist

• European systems: What can Canada learn from them?
• The Swedish experience

3:00p.m. Refreshment

3:15 p.m. Moderator: Mark Godley

3:15 p.m. The Role of Government in Health Care Delivery
Tom Sackville

3:50 p.m. A New Zealand Prescription for Canada?
Bruce Davidson

• Evolution of the New Zealand health system
• Relation of private and public health insurance
• Lessons for Canada

4:25 p.m. Health Care Below The 49th Parallel: What Canadians Can Learn From The U.S. System.
Sally Pipes

• Why the U.S. health system is in trouble and how to fix it
• Myths about the U.S. system
• How can Canadians benefit from the American experience?

4:50 p.m. Public and Private Roles in Health Insurance and Delivery: An International Perspective Ian McPherson

• Experience in New Zealand and Asia
• Innovation in Health Care Funding
• Lessons for Canada

5:25 p.m. International Health Panel:

Moderator: Preston Manning

Mr. Charles Auld, Bruce Davidson, Johan Hjertqvist, Senator Michael Kirby, Ian McPherson, Sally Pipes, Tom Sackville

5:50 p.m. Adjourn

Conference Day 2 – Saturday November 12 th 2005

6:30 a.m. Continental Breakfast

7:40 a.m. Opening Remarks Brian Day

7:45 a.m. Moderator: Sally Pipes

7:45 a.m. Financing Health Care: The International Scene
Tom Sackville

8:10 a.m. The Canadian Health Council: What it can and cannot do
Les Vertesi

• Canadian Wait List Project
• Plans to improve wait times
• Global budgets and health care delivery

8:30 a.m. Public and Private Sector Relationships in Health Care Delivery.
Ida Goodreau

• Funding issues and constraints in public delivery
• Public – Private initiatives
• Entrepreneurial opportunities
• Adapting to change: the impact of funding reforms

9:00 a.m. The Impact of Health Care Reform on Medical Education, Research and Access to Technology.
William Orovan

• Access to new technology in Canada
• Academic and research initiatives

9:25 a.m. Health Care Delivery in Canada : Federal and Provincial Role
Gordon Gibson

• Evolution of government roles in Canadian health care delivery
• Overcoming political constraints to meaningful reform

9:50 a.m. Panel DISCUSSION and QUESTIONS: Tom Sackville, Les Vertesi, Ida Goodreau, William Orovan, Gordon Gibson. Moderator: Sally Pipes

10:20 a.m. Refreshment Break

10:35 a.m. Moderator: Nadeem Esmail

10:35 a.m. The Canadian Health System and the Taxpayer: Political and Financial Issues
John Williamson

• Federal-Provincial taxation and health care spending
• Economic crisis facing provincial health care funding
• Overcoming political constraints

11:00 a.m. Medicare after Chaoulli-Zeliotis: Corporate, employee benefit and insurance issues.
Gary McLeod

• Financing health care in Canada : the fiscal reality
• Planning for future financial and medical health
• Existing private health and benefit plans in Canada : how they may evolve after Chaoulli-Zeliotis

11:30 a.m. Panel DISCUSSION and QUESTIONS:
Gary McLeod, John Williamson
Moderator: Nadeem Esmail

11:50 p.m. "Eurohealth": award winning news documentary on European Health Systems: Brian Coxford Global TV

12:30 p.m. Lunch and Speaker: My Journey to the Supreme Court of Canada
Jacques Chaoulli

1:20 p.m. Moderator: Zoltan Nagy

1:20 p.m. The Growth Potential of Complementary Private Insurance in Canada
Jane Petruniak

1:45 p.m. The Future of Nursing and Medicare in Canada
Linda West

• Canadian versus International experience
• The changing role of nursing
• Nursing in the public and private sectors

2:10 p.m. Canada's Health System: How does it rate?
Nadeem Esmail

• Measuring performance
• Comparative costs and outcomes
• Technology access
• Practical reform of the Canadian system

2:35 p.m. Panel DISCUSSION and QUESTIONS: Linda West, Nadeem Esmail.
Moderator: Zoltan Nagy; Jane Petruniak

2:55 p.m. Refreshment Break

3:10 p.m. PANEL ON PATIENT PERSPECTIVES.
Moderator: John Saunders

4:00 p.m. Closing Session: Moderator: Brian Day

4:00 p.m. Synopsis: the Law after Chaoulli – Zeliotis: What Have We Learned?
Marvin Storrow and Peter Hogg

4:15 p.m. Practical Pearls on Reform: International insights.

4:25 p.m. Charles Auld

4:35 p.m. Johan Hjertqvist

4:45 p.m. Tom Sackville

4:55 p.m. Bruce Davidson

5:05 p.m. Sally Pipes

5:15 p.m. Ian McPherson

5:25 p.m. Questions

5:40 p.m. Concluding remarks: Brian Day