Could you oppose user fees any less?

Tim Hudak, leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservatives, has clarified his position on health care user fees. After initially refusing to say if he would crack down on illegal user fees, Hudak has now said he "will enforce the law."

Good to know -- but I think the PCs have failed the universal health care test.

The Liberals had pounced on Hudak's hesitation, with Health Minister Deb Matthews stating that Hudak's key fundraiser, Shaun Francis, is the president of MedCan, the largest private health service provider in Canada. (Hmmm... one might also want to examine some Liberal connections, especially as private clinics have grown rapidly under their watch.)

On a per capita basis, Canadians make the third highest private cash payments for health care in the developed world. Payments by Ontarians are higher than any other province and 50% higher than the Canada-wide average.

The World Health Organization identifies continued reliance on direct payments, including user fees, as by far the greatest obstacle to progress towards universal health care coverage.

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