The legendary legions of Canadians, known as snowbirds, who choose warmer weather for their winter lives, are mostly not getting the health care they are entitled to under the Canada Health Act, according to the Canadian Snowbird Association.
The act requires the provinces and territories to provide portable universal health care for the more than 56 million trips Canadians take abroad annually. The Association says that only the thinly-populated territories and the small province of Prince Edward Island are meeting the mandate, while the more populous provinces like British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec provide only minimal coverage for residents who have overseas emergencies.
Even further, the Snowbirds say, some provinces are threatening to cut off health care altogether for residents who spend move than six months out of the country, leaving them without coverage even at home.
“Politicians of all stripes need to be reminded that the portability principle of the Canada Health Act, with a few notable exceptions, is not being met.” said Karen Huestis, president of the Canadian Snowbird Association. “The busy winter travel season should remind all Canadians that the principles of universality and portability we expect from our health care system must now be supported by government action.”
