Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is said to have delivered a stark warning to the provincial premiers.
According to reports, he has given them an ultimatum: either agree to implement digital healthcare IDs or face the loss of federal healthcare funding.
“Yesterday, in Canada, Justin Trudeau met will all of our provincial premiers,” a Tiktok user (@introverts008) said. “And basically told them that we would not be able to get funding for our healthcare unless the premiers agree to the digital IDs…You will not be able to access any healthcare without these digital IDs. You will actually not be able to carry a bank account or do anything online regarding financial transactions…For farmers and consumers, you will not be able to get into stores. You will not be able to even sell anywhere. Once they have this system in place, this is where the digital currency will come in…You will not be able to shop online…You will literally need this ID in order to get TikTok, Twitter, or Facebook. No more fake accounts…If you want your taxes done or any sort of government benefits, you will need a digital ID…You will not be able to get an Internet provider without this digital ID, and they will be able to track you. This is basically a hostage situation of our tax money.”
On Tuesday, Trudeau unveiled a major investment in healthcare, with the federal government allocating a staggering $196.1 billion over the next 10 years.
Under the federal conditions for this funding, it states that in order to utilize the advanced Community Health Teams (CHT), provinces must pledge to enhance their methods of collecting, sharing, utilizing, and reporting health data to the public for greater transparency and effective management of public health emergencies, according to the government’s background document.
The government seeks this information to monitor and evaluate the healthcare system’s performance and outcomes. Additionally, the government wants to improve communication and information exchange between healthcare providers, including primary care physicians, pharmacists, specialists, and hospitals.
The government believes that Canadians have the right to access their personal health information and that it should be shared freely between healthcare providers across different settings and jurisdictions.
The proposal for a digital healthcare identification system caused a widespread public outcry, with numerous individuals imploring their respective premiers not to give their consent to the plan.
In response, Premier Scott Moe of Saskatchewan declared to the Trudeau administration that his province would not establish or take part in the creation of a nationwide digital healthcare ID.
“The Government of Saskatchewan is not creating a digital ID, nor will we accept any requirements for the creation of a digital ID tied to healthcare funding,” Moe said in a public letter to Saskatchewanians.
According to Moe, the province will refuse any healthcare funding from the federal government that mandates participation in a healthcare digital ID.
This stance is in line with the Health Information Protection Act, which prohibits the provincial government from sharing personal medical information.
“The Government of Saskatchewan will not share any personal medical information with the federal government. This information is protected under The Health Information Protection Act and will remain so,” Moe stated.
“The Government of Saskatchewan may share already publicly available healthcare statistics, including the number of physicians in Saskatchewan and surgical wait times if requested by any party, including the federal government,” Moe added.
In response to a public outcry and letter-writing campaign from concerned citizens, Premier Moe wrote a letter about the introduction of healthcare digital IDs.
The letter also addressed the decline in federal healthcare funding, which has fallen from 35% to 22%.
Moe emphasized the importance of restoring the federal government’s role as a full funding partner in healthcare, saying that this is critical for providing Canadians with the level of healthcare they expect and deserve.
He also stressed that the Government of Saskatchewan will not compromise on personal health privacy rights when negotiating a new Canada Health Transfer agreement.
Instead, Moe pledged to work towards a funding agreement that benefits the people of Saskatchewan, by investing in healthcare in both rural and urban areas of the province.
A similar ID may be coming to the United States in the near future called the Real ID. People warn that the REAL ID could become a mandatory requirement for all aspects of American life, with potential consequences beyond its original purpose, including control over gun ownership and marijuana use.
