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Gender Reassignment Surgery

Ms Blakeman: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. The minister of health has cut funding for gender reassignment surgeries, purportedly to save $700,000. An identical attempt in Ontario was challenged and resulted in the decision being overturned and the funding being reinstated. My question is to the Minister of Health and Wellness. Why is the minister subjecting taxpayers to a significant court challenge with significant costs just to discriminate against a particular group?

Mr. Liepert: Mr. Speaker, the member is well aware that this provincial budget was a challenge relative to the fact that we needed to ensure that our expenditures more reflected the revenue stream. Each minister was required to go through their budget line by line and, in the case of health care, meet a budget of some 4.9 per cent. There’s a list of some 30 or 40 different programs and grants and coverages that will not be proceeding going forward, and those are some tough decisions that have to be made.

The Deputy Speaker: The hon. member.

Ms Blakeman: Thank you. Again to the same minister: can the minister explain the medical reasons why gender reassignment surgery was delisted and why there was a complete lack of consultation with any medical professionals with expertise in this field?

Mr. Liepert: Mr. Speaker, I think that I just answered that question. This was not based on medical decisions. This was based on a number of programs we had to make…[interjections] You know, if the Member for Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood wants to ask a question, I’ll be happy to listen to him, but until then I would suggest that if I have the floor, he keeps quiet. As I said earlier, there were some very tough decisions that had to be made, everything from cancelling some programs around youth suicide prevention to programs around certain surgeries. I can only say that there are tough decisions ahead to be made.

The Deputy Speaker: The hon. member.

Ms Blakeman: Thank you. To the same minister. Wiping out a program that disproportionately affects a very specific group of people is discriminatory, and this administration is discriminatory and is discriminating based on age with the new drug plan for seniors and on gender identity with these cuts to reassignment surgery. Which group is next for this government’s discriminatory health care cuts?

Mr. Liepert: Mr. Speaker, let’s be very clear here. It’s my understanding that there are some 26 individuals who are currently in the program. The government will fully ensure that those surgeries are followed through and funded to completion. It’s also my understanding that there’s a list of some 20 individuals that have been prescribed by the medical profession for certain drugs but not approved for funding by government. However, it is the intention that those 20 will also be covered under program going forward.