Federal Court· 2014Unreviewed source text
Canadian Doctors for Refugee Care v. Canada (Attorney general)
2014 FC 651
EvidenceJD
Cite or share
Showing unreviewed source text. Provenance under review — verify against the linked original before relying on it.
Source text
Canadian Doctors for Refugee Care v. Canada (Attorney general) Court (s) Database Federal Court Decisions Date 2014-07-04 Neutral citation 2014 FC 651 File numbers T-356-13 Notes A correction was made on June 1st, 2015. Reported Decision Decision Content Date: 20140704 Docket: T-356-13 Citation: 2014 FC 651 Ottawa, Ontario, July 4, 2014 PRESENT: The Honourable Madam Justice Mactavish BETWEEN: CANADIAN DOCTORS FOR REFUGEE CARE, THE CANADIAN ASSOCIATION OF REFUGEE LAWYERS, DANIEL GARCIA RODRIGUES, HANIF AYUBI AND JUSTICE FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH Applicants and ATTORNEY GENERAL OF CANADA AND MINISTER OF CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION Respondents JUDGMENT AND REASONS TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Introduction ................................................................................. Par. 1 II. The Parties ................................................................................. 17 A. Canadian Doctors for Refugee Care............................................... 17 B. Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers.................................... 19 C. Justice for Children and Youth....................................................... 21 D. Hanif Ayubi ................................................................................. 22 E. Daniel Garcia Rodrigues.................................................................. 25 F. The Respondents............................................................................. 29 III. Background .....................................…
Full judgment (source text)
Mirrored from decisions.fct-cf.gc.ca — the linked original is authoritative.
Canadian Doctors for Refugee Care v. Canada (Attorney general) Court (s) Database Federal Court Decisions Date 2014-07-04 Neutral citation 2014 FC 651 File numbers T-356-13 Notes A correction was made on June 1st, 2015. Reported Decision Decision Content Date: 20140704 Docket: T-356-13 Citation: 2014 FC 651 Ottawa, Ontario, July 4, 2014 PRESENT: The Honourable Madam Justice Mactavish BETWEEN: CANADIAN DOCTORS FOR REFUGEE CARE, THE CANADIAN ASSOCIATION OF REFUGEE LAWYERS, DANIEL GARCIA RODRIGUES, HANIF AYUBI AND JUSTICE FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH Applicants and ATTORNEY GENERAL OF CANADA AND MINISTER OF CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION Respondents JUDGMENT AND REASONS TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Introduction ................................................................................. Par. 1 II. The Parties ................................................................................. 17 A. Canadian Doctors for Refugee Care............................................... 17 B. Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers.................................... 19 C. Justice for Children and Youth....................................................... 21 D. Hanif Ayubi ................................................................................. 22 E. Daniel Garcia Rodrigues.................................................................. 25 F. The Respondents............................................................................. 29 III. Background ................................................................................. 31 A. The Pre-2012 IFHP ......................................................................... 32 B. The Decision to Reform the IFHP................................................... 49 C. The 2012 IFHP................................................................................ 57 (1) Expanded Health Care Coverage........................................ 67 (2) Health Care Coverage.......................................................... 69 (3) Public Health or Public Safety Health Care Coverage ....... 75 (4) PRRA-only Claimants ........................................................ 79 (5) Ministerial Discretion .......................................................... 80 D. The Impact of the 2012 Changes to the IFHP ............................... 88 (1) The Expert Evidence........................................................... 89 (2) The Public Reaction............................................................. 126 (3) Confusion in the Health Care Profession............................ 133 (4) The Systemic Consequences of the 2012 Changes to the IFHP 142 (5) The Impact on Individual Claimants .................................. 157 (a) The Frailties in the Applicants’ Non-expert Evidence.................................................................. 158 (b) Mr. Ayubi’s Experience .......................................... 174 (c) Mr. Garcia Rodrigues’ Experience ......................... 198 (d) Saleem Akhtar......................................................... 215 (e) Victor Pathiyage Wijenaike..................................... 221 (f) Rosa Maria Aylas Marcos de Arroyo...................... 229 (g) “Sarah”..................................................................... 234 (h) “BB” ....................................................................... 241 (i) Manavi Handa’s “Second Case” ............................ 247 (j) Conclusion as to the Impact of the 2012 Changes to the IFHP on Individual Claimants ..................... Par. 250 E. Alternative Sources of Health Care ................................................ 251 (1) Provincial and Territorial Health Insurance......................... 255 (2) Self-funding......................................................................... 269 (3) Community Health Centres and Refugee Shelters ............. 273 (4) Midwifery Services.............................................................. 276 (5) Hospital Emergency Rooms ............................................... 277 (6) Social Assistance................................................................. 279 (7) Charity................................................................................. 284 (8) Section 7 Discretionary IFHP Coverage............................. 287 (9) Conclusion Regarding the Alternatives to IFHP Funded Health Care ......................................................................... 294 IV. Issues ................................................................................. 302 V. Standing ................................................................................. 304 A. Serious Justiciable Issue .................................................................. 312 B. Does JFCY Have a Genuine Interest in this Proceeding? .............. 314 C. Is Granting Public Interest Standing to the Applicant Organizations a Reasonable and Effective Way to Bring these Issues Before the Court?................................................................. 327 VI. Are the 2012 OICs Ultra Vires the Governor in Council?.......................... 354 A. The Applicants’ Arguments ............................................................ 355 B. The Respondents’ Arguments ........................................................ 371 C. Analysis ................................................................................. 377 VII. Did the Government Breach its Duty of Procedural Fairness by Failing to Provide Notice and an Opportunity to Participate Prior to the Proclamation of the 2012 OICs? ................................................................ 403 A. The Applicants’ Arguments ............................................................ 405 B. The Respondents’ Arguments ........................................................ 418 C. Analysis ................................................................................. 421 VIII. The International Law Arguments .............................................................. 441 IX. Introduction to the Charter Issues............................................................... 476 X. Do the 2012 Changes to the IFHP Violate Section 7 of the Charter?........ 493 A. Positive Rights and Section 7 of the Charter.................................. 511 B. Conclusion with respect to the Applicants’ Section 7 Claim.......... 571 XI. Do the 2012 Changes to the IFHP Violate Section 12 of the Charter?...... 572 A. Do the 2012 Changes to the IFHP Constitute “Treatment” within the meaning of Section 12 of the Charter?...................................... 577 B. Are the 2012 Changes to the IFHP “Cruel and Unusual” within the meaning of Section 12 of the Charter?...................................... Par. 612 C. Conclusion with Respect to Section 12 of the Charter................... 689 XII. Do the 2012 Changes to the IFHP Violate Section 15 of the Charter?...... 692 A. Legal Principles Governing Section 15 Claims................................ 706 B. Does the 2012 IFHP Draw a “Distinction” Between Refugee Claimants from DCO Countries and Non-DCO Countries on the Basis of an Enumerated or Analogous Ground?............................. 729 C. Is the Subsection 15(1) Breach Saved on the Basis that the IFHP is an Ameliorative Program?............................................................ 778 D. Do the 2012 OICs Create a Disadvantage by Perpetuating Prejudice or Stereotyping?............................................................... 810 E. Conclusion on the Subsection 15(1) Issue Relating to DCO Claimants ................................................................................. 849 F. Does the 2012 IFHP also Violate Subsection 15(1) of the Charter on the Basis of Immigration Status?................................................ 852 G. Conclusions on the Section 15 Issues.............................................. 871 XIII. Have the Breaches of Sections 12 and 15 been Justified by the Respondents under Section 1 of the Charter?............................................. 873 A. Legal Principles Governing Section 1 of the Charter...................... 878 B. What were the Objectives of the Changes to the IFHP Brought About by the 2012 OICs?............................................................... 884 C. Are the Objectives of the 2012 changes to the IFHP “Pressing and Substantial”?............................................................................. 895 (1) Cost Containment................................................................ 897 (2) Fairness to Canadians ......................................................... 912 (3) Protecting Public Health and Public Safety........................ 929 (4) Protecting the Integrity of Canada’s Immigration System.. 930 D. Is the Impairment of the Charter Rights at Issue Proportional to the Importance of the Objectives of the 2012 OICs?..................... 933 (1) Are the 2012 Changes to the IFHP Rationally Connected to the Objectives of the Governor in Council?.................... 938 (a) Cost Containment.................................................... 944 (b) Fairness to Canadians.............................................. 946 (c) Protecting Public Health and Safety....................... 953 (d) Protecting the Integrity of Canada’s Immigration System..................................................................... 963 (2) Do the 2012 Changes to the IFHP Impair Charter Rights Minimally or “As Little as Possible”?.................................. 984 (a) Cost Containment.................................................... 997 (b) Protecting the Integrity of Canada’s Immigration System..................................................................... Par. 1018 (c) Other Minimal Impairment Arguments................... 1028 (3) Are the 2012 Changes to the IFHP Proportionate in their Effect?................................................................................. 1044 (4) Conclusion with Respect to Section 1 Justification............ 1075 XIV. Final Conclusion ................................................................................. 1076 XV. Remedy ................................................................................. 1086 I. Introduction [1] For more than 50 years, the Government of Canada has funded comprehensive health insurance coverage for refugee claimants and others who have come to Canada seeking its protection through the Interim Federal Health Program. In 2012, the Governor in Council passed two Orders in Council which significantly reduced the level of health care coverage available to many such individuals, and all but eliminated it for others pursuing risk-based claims. [2] The effect of these changes is to deny funding for life-saving medications such as insulin and cardiac drugs to impoverished refugee claimants from war-torn countries such as Afghanistan and Iraq. [3] The effect of these changes is to deny funding for basic pre-natal, obstetrical and paediatric care to women and children seeking the protection of Canada from “Designated Countries of Origin” such as Mexico and Hungary. [4] The effect of these changes is to deny funding for any medical care whatsoever to individuals seeking refuge in Canada who are only entitled to a Pre-removal Risk Assessment, even if they suffer from a health condition that poses a risk to the public health and safety of Canadians. [5] The applicants assert that the 2012 modifications to the Interim Federal Health Program are unlawful as the Orders in Council are ultra vires the prerogative powers of the Governor in Council. They also say that prior consultations and past practice created a legitimate expectation on the part of stakeholders that substantive changes would not be made to the Interim Federal Health Program without prior notice and consultation with interested parties. According to the applicants, the Governor in Council breached its duty of procedural fairness by making radical changes to the Interim Federal Health Program without any advance notice or consultation. [6] The applicants further submit that that 2012 changes to the Interim Federal Health Program breach Canada’s obligations under the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. In addition, the applicants say, the changes violate sections 7, 12 and 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms in a manner that cannot be saved under section 1 of the Charter. [7] For the reasons that follow, I have concluded that the Orders in Council are not ultra vires the prerogative powers of the Governor in Council, nor has there been a denial of procedural fairness in this case. [8] I have also concluded that the applicants’ section 7 Charter claim cannot succeed as what they seek is to impose a positive obligation on the Government of Canada to fund health care for individuals seeking the protection of Canada. The current state of the law in Canada is that section 7 guarantees to life, liberty and security of the person do not include a positive right to state funding for health care. [9] I have, however, concluded that while it is open to government to assign priorities and set limits on social benefit plans such as the Interim Federal Health Program, the intentional targeting of an admittedly poor, vulnerable and disadvantaged group for adverse treatment takes this situation beyond the realm of traditional Charter challenges to social benefit programs. [10] With the 2012 changes to the Interim Federal Health Program, the executive branch of the Canadian government has intentionally set out to make the lives of these disadvantaged individuals even more difficult than they already are in an effort to force those who have sought the protection of this country to leave Canada more quickly, and to deter others from coming here. [11] I am satisfied that the affected individuals are being subjected to “treatment” as contemplated by section 12 of the Charter, and that this treatment is indeed “cruel and unusual”. This is particularly, but not exclusively so as it affects children who have been brought to this country by their parents. The 2012 modifications to the Interim Federal Health Program potentially jeopardize the health, the safety and indeed the very lives, of these innocent and vulnerable children in a manner that shocks the conscience and outrages our standards of decency. They violate section 12 of the Charter. [12] I have also concluded that the 2012 changes to the Interim Federal Health Program violate section 15 of the Charter inasmuch as the program now provides a lesser level of health insurance coverage to refugee claimants from Designated Countries of Origin in comparison to that provided to refugee claimants from non-Designated Countries of Origin. This distinction is based upon the national origin of the refugee claimants, and does not form part of an ameliorative program. [13] Moreover, this distinction has an adverse differential effect on refugee claimants from Designated Countries of Origin. It puts their lives at risk and perpetuates the stereotypical view that they are cheats and queue-jumpers, that their refugee claims are “bogus”, and that they have come to Canada to abuse the generosity of Canadians. It serves to perpetuate the historical disadvantage suffered by members of an admittedly vulnerable, poor and disadvantaged group. [14] I have not, however, been persuaded that the Interim Federal Health Program violates subsection 15(1) of the Charter based upon the immigration status of those seeking the protection of Canada, as “immigration status” cannot be considered to be an analogous ground for the purposes of section 15. Consequently, this aspect of the applicants’ section 15 claim will be dismissed. [15] Finally, the respondents have not demonstrated that the 2012 changes to the Interim Federal Health Program are justified under section 1 of the Charter. [16] Consequently, the applicants’ application will be granted. II. The Parties A. Canadian Doctors for Refugee Care [17] Canadian Doctors for Refugee Care (CDRC) is a group of physicians specializing in the treatment of refugees and refugee health issues. It was formed on April 26, 2012, in response to the then-pending changes to the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) that had been announced the previous day. CDRC asserts that its members now face difficult moral, ethical and professional dilemmas as to whether to treat or continue to treat patients who no longer have IFHP coverage. [18] While CDRC’s memorandum of fact and law appears to suggest that its members have been directly affected by the changes to the IFHP, it became clear at the hearing that what it seeks is public interest standing to pursue this case. The standing issue will be addressed further on in these reasons. B. Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers [19] The Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers (CARL) is an association of lawyers and academics with an interest in legal issues related to refugees, asylum seekers and the rights of migrants. Its purposes include legal advocacy on behalf of these groups, in part through participation in public interest litigation dealing with issues affecting vulnerable refugees, asylum seekers and migrants. [20] Since its formation in 2011, CARL has been active in lobbying and public education, and it has intervened in litigation touching on the rights of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants. C. Justice for Children and Youth [21] Justice for Children and Youth (JFCY) is a non-profit legal aid clinic with a focus on the legal rights of children. It has expertise in protecting and promoting the legal rights of children, and has experience working with child refugees. JFCY is the operating name for the Canadian Foundation for Children, Youth and the Law. D. Hanif Ayubi [22] Hanif Ayubi is one of the two individual applicants in this proceeding. Mr. Ayubi is a diabetic and a failed refugee claimant from Afghanistan. He has been in Canada since 2001 and has not been removed because Afghanistan is a “moratorium country”. That is, the Government of Canada has suspended removals to Afghanistan because the country’s general conditions are such as to put the safety of the general population at risk. [23] Until June 30, 2012, Mr. Ayubi had coverage under the IFHP for his insulin and medical supplies, and for the medical care that he requires to manage his diabetes. After the changes to the IFHP came into effect, Mr. Ayubi no longer had health insurance coverage for any of his medical care or his medications as he is classified as a rejected refugee. [24] Mr. Ayubi works as a dishwasher and is a low-income person. He says that he is unable to pay for the medications and the diabetic supplies that he needs to monitor his diabetes and its complications. Mr. Ayubi was eventually granted discretionary IFHP coverage by the Minister which pays for his medical services such as doctors’ appointments, but does not pay for his medication and diabetic supplies. Mr. Ayubi is currently being kept alive by free samples of insulin supplied to a Community Health Centre by a pharmaceutical company. E. Daniel Garcia Rodrigues [25] Daniel Garcia Rodrigues[1] and his wife came to Canada from Colombia in 2007. He claimed refugee protection based upon his fear of paramilitaries belonging to the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC). The Immigration and Refugee Board seems to have accepted that the FARC had attempted to forcibly recruit Mr. Garcia Rodrigues, but it was not persuaded that he would still be of interest to the organization. [26] While Mr. Garcia Rodrigues’ refugee claim was refused, his wife’s claim was accepted. She subsequently applied for permanent residence in Canada as a protected person, including Mr. Garcia Rodrigues in her application. [27] Mr. Garcia Rodrigues had IFHP coverage until the changes to the IFHP came into effect on June 30, 2012. In July of 2012, he suffered a retinal detachment. Mr. Garcia Rodrigues was advised that he needed surgery, and that any delay in operating could put his vision at risk. He was scheduled for surgery in August of 2012, but the surgery was cancelled when it was determined that, as a failed refugee claimant, Mr. Garcia Rodrigues was ineligible for coverage under the IFHP. [28] Mr. Garcia Rodrigues could not afford to pay the $10,000 cost of the surgery himself. However, his doctor ultimately agreed to operate on him for a fraction of the normal cost, in light of the fact that any further delay could have resulted in the permanent loss of Mr. Garcia Rodrigues’ vision. F. The Respondents [29] The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration is generally responsible for Canada’s immigration policy, and is also responsible for the development of strategic and operational policies and guidelines with respect to migration health. The Minister’s Department, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), is responsible for overseeing health screening for newcomers migrating to Canada and for managing the IFHP. CIC was also responsible for the policy review that culminated in the 2012 changes to the IFHP. [30] The Attorney General of Canada has also been named as a respondent in this matter. III. Background [31] I will address the facts giving rise to this application in greater detail as I consider each of the arguments raised by the parties. However, the following summary will serve to provide a context for that discussion. A. The Pre-2012 IFHP [32] According to the affidavit of Sonia Le Bris, the Acting Manager of Migration Health Policy at CIC, even before Canada signed the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, it had long recognized that refugees often face more challenges than others in becoming established and self-sufficient in Canada. It had also long been recognized that some such individuals required urgent or essential medical care soon after their arrival in this country and that they would not be able to pay for that care. [33] As a consequence, the program now known as the IFHP was created shortly after the end of the Second World War as an emergency humanitarian response in order to meet the needs of “refugee-like” individuals. At the time, Canada had a private health care system, and the IFHP was created to fund basic and essential medical and health services for newcomers to Canada who urgently required medical care and lacked the resources to pay for it. [34] The respondents say that although the IFHP has evolved over time, the purpose of the program has never been to provide health care coverage for everyone who comes to Canada, but rather to provide insurance coverage for urgent and essential health care to eligible beneficiaries for a limited and short duration. [35] The IFHP has always operated pursuant to an Order in Council (OIC) and has never been addressed in immigration legislation. A 1952 OIC authorized the federal government to permit the Immigration Branch “…to pay hospitalization, medical care, dental care and expenses incidental thereto, for immigrants, after being admitted to a port of entry and prior to their arrival at destination, or while receiving care and maintenance pending placement in employment, in cases where the immigrants lack the financial resources to pay these expenses themselves”. [36] In 1957, Order in Council P.C. 1957-11/848 was passed (the 1957 OIC). It revoked the 1952 OIC and provided the authority for the IFHP until the 2012 changes came into effect on June 30, 2012. The 1957 OIC authorized the Department of National Health and Welfare (DNHW) to pay the cost of “medical and dental care, hospitalization, and any expenses incidental thereto” for, amongst others, persons who were at any time: subject to Immigration jurisdiction or for whom the Immigration authorities feel responsible and who has been referred for examination and/or treatment by an authorized Immigration officer, in cases where the immigrant or such a person lacks the financial resources to pay these expenses, chargeable to funds provided annually by Parliament for the Immigration Medical Services of the Department of National Health and Welfare. [37] Persons “subject to Immigration jurisdiction or for whom the Immigration authorities feel responsible” were not specifically identified or defined in the 1957 OIC. [38] From 1957 to 1993, the DNHW managed what is now known as the IFHP program. With the advent of publicly-funded health care in Canada in the 1950s and 60s, and the subsequent enactment of the Canada Health Act, R.S.C., 1985, c. C-6, economic immigrants had access to provincial public health care schemes after a short qualifying residency period and the IFHP stopped funding health care for these individuals. [39] In 1993, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the DNHW and the Canada Employment and Immigration Commission (CEIC, now CIC) to transfer various programs, including the IFHP, from the DNHW to CEIC. CEIC began delivering services under the IFHP in 1995. [40] Some provinces, notably Ontario and Quebec, had been covering the cost of health care for refugee claimants under their provincial health insurance schemes. However, in the mid‑1990s these two provinces announced that they would no longer do so, thereby increasing the cost of the program to the federal government. [41] By 1996, the focus of the IFHP had shifted away from taking care of the medical needs of newly-arrived indigent immigrants, and the program now applied almost exclusively to refugee claimants, government-assisted refugees and others in humanitarian need. The IFHP was extended to cover members of the “Deferred Removal Orders Class” and persons detained by the newly-created Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). Later changes extended the IFHP to provide health insurance coverage for applicants for Pre-removal Risk Assessments (PRRAs) and for victims of human trafficking. [42] Those eligible for IFHP coverage prior to the 2012 changes also included protected persons, government-resettled refugees, privately-sponsored refugees, refugee claimants, and refused refugee claimants whose negative decisions were under judicial review or appeal or who were awaiting removal from Canada. These individuals could receive IFHP benefits until they either became eligible to receive provincial or territorial health care or left the country. No distinction was made in terms of level of coverage based upon the type of claim being advanced or the stage of the proceeding in issue. [43] Not entitled to coverage under the pre-2012 IFHP were refugee claimants and their dependant children who were not eligible to have their claims determined by the Immigration and Refugee Board, those who were determined under the pre-1993 Immigration Act to have “no credible basis” for a claim to refugee status, and those who had withdrawn or abandoned their claims. [44] Under the pre-2012 IFHP, individuals were also ineligible for coverage if it was ascertained, usually in an interview at the first point of contact with the individual claiming refugee protection, that they had the means to pay for health care or if they were eligible or became eligible for provincial health insurance. [45] Those who were deemed eligible for the IFHP received an eligibility certificate valid for one year, which was typically renewable for 12-month periods. [46] For individuals claiming refugee protection at a port of entry, an eligibility certificate was usually issued at the port of entry once it was determined that the individual was eligible to make a refugee claim. In the case of inland refugee claims, if delays were anticipated in processing the claims, inland claimants would be issued a 30-day certificate to provide them with health insurance coverage until their eligibility to make a claim was determined, at which point they would be issued a renewable eligibility certificate that was valid for one year. [47] An eligibility certificate entitled the individual to federally-funded health insurance coverage for medical care of an urgent or essential nature that was roughly equivalent to the level of health care benefits that is provided to low-income Canadians on social assistance under provincial or territorial health insurance plans. [48] This included coverage for essential and emergency health services for the treatment and prevention of serious medical conditions and emergency dental conditions. Also covered were immunizations and other forms of preventative medical care, contraception, dental and vision care, essential prescription medications, prenatal and obstetrical care and immigration medical examinations. B. The Decision to Reform the IFHP [49] Over the years, CIC had carried out several reviews of the IFHP. It made recommendations for the modernization of the program in 1994 and again in 2004, neither of which resulted in substantial changes to the IFHP. However, the cost of the IFHP continued to rise as a result of a general increase in the cost of health care in Canada, and the increasing number of people eligible for IFHP coverage. For example, there were 105,326 people eligible for IFHP benefits in 2003, whereas there were 128,586 people eligible for IFHP benefits in 2012. [50] The respondents also say that the original intent of the IFHP, namely to provide short term, interim medical care to eligible individuals, had been eroded over time. The cost of the IFHP is directly affected by the length of time that people are eligible for benefits. While the average period of IFHP eligibility was 548 days in 2003, the average eligibility period had climbed to 948 days by 2012. [51] The combined result of these factors was that the IFHP cost Canadian taxpayers $50,600,000 in 2002/2003 and almost $91,000,000 in 2009/2010. As a consequence, cost containment was a driving principle underlying the decision to reform the IFHP. [52] Another impetus for reform was this Court’s decision in Toussaint v. Canada (Attorney General), 2010 FC 810, [2011] 4 F.C.R. 367 [Toussaint FC], aff’d 2011 FCA 213, [2013] 1 F.C.R. 374, leave to appeal to SCC refused, [2011] S.C.C.A. No. 412. This decision traced the evolution and expansion of the IFHP since its inception, with this Court noting that the actual operation and beneficiaries of the IFHP in 2010 bore little resemblance to the terms of the 1957 OIC. The Court further observed that the current operation of the IFHP was based largely upon CIC’s own internal policies, and took little heed of the 1957 OIC. As a result of this decision, CIC decided that a new IFHP policy had to be grounded in a new OIC. [53] As a consequence of these and other considerations, CIC decided that the IFHP was in need of reform, and that five key principles should guide that reform. The respondents identify these principles as including the need to: i. Modernize, clarify and reaffirm the original intent of the IFHP as a temporary, interim, short term ex gratia program; ii. Change the IFHP to ensure “fairness to Canadians”; iii. Protect public health and public safety in Canada; iv. Defend the integrity of Canada’s refugee determination system and deter its abuse; and v. Contain the financial cost of the IFHP. [54] In September of 2010, the Minister announced that CIC would undertake a complete policy review of the IFHP. The result of this review was the April 25, 2012 announcement of major changes to the IFHP as part of the federal budget. That same day, Order in Council P.C. 2012‑433, the “Order Respecting the Interim Federal Health Program, 2012” (the April 2012 OIC), was published in the Canada Gazette. The April 2012 OIC, together with the amendments made on June 28, 2012 by Order in Council P.C. 2012-945 (the amending OIC), replaced the 1957 OIC, effective June 30, 2012. These two OICs will be referred to jointly in these reasons as the “2012 OICs”. [55] The respondents say that abuse of the IFHP was “not the issue which guided or motivated the reform”. Rather, the changes were intended to support the overall objective of refugee reform, and were “but one way in which the government could deter unfounded claims and possibly discourage failed refugee claimants from remaining in Canada when they ought to be leaving”: Transcript, Vol. 3, p. 38. [56] A statement made on behalf of the then-Minister of Citizenship and Immigration shortly after the 2012 changes to the IFHP came into force provides further insight into the rationale for the modifications made to the program. The Minister’s spokesperson explained the changes in the following terms: Canadians have been clear that they do not want illegal immigrants and bogus refugee claimants receiving gold-plated health care benefits that are better than those Canadian taxpayers receive. Our Government has listened and acted. We have taken steps to ensure that protected persons and asylum seekers from non-safe countries receive health care coverage that is on the same level as Canadian taxpayers receive through their provincial health coverage, no better. Bogus claimants from safe countries, and failed asylum seekers, will not receive access to health care coverage unless it is to protect public health and safety. Shamefully, the NDP and the Liberals support bogus and rejected asylum seekers receiving gold-plated health care benefits. We disagree. Those who have been through our fair system and [are] rejected should respect Canada’s laws and leave the country. C. The 2012 IFHP [57] The pre-2012 IFHP provided the same level of insurance coverage to all individuals eligible for benefits, whether they were refugees, refugee claimants, failed refugee claimants, individuals only entitled to a PRRA, victims of human trafficking or immigration detainees. Coverage was available to these individuals until they either became eligible to receive provincial or territorial health insurance, or left the country. [58] The 2012 IFHP continues to provide limited, temporary health insurance coverage to: i. Protected persons, including resettled refugees, successful refugee claimants and positive PRRA recipients; ii. Refugee claimants and rejected refugee claimants; iii. Victims of human trafficking with temporary resident permits; iv. Persons granted permanent residency as part of a public policy or for humanitarian and compassionate reasons by the Minister, and who receive income support through the resettlement assistance program or the equivalent in Quebec; and v. Foreign nationals and permanent residents detained under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, S.C. 2001, c. 27. [59] However, unlike the situation under the pre-2012 IFHP, individuals who are only entitled to make a PRRA application and not a refugee claim are no longer entitled to any form of IFHP coverage whatsoever. This includes people who not admissible to Canada on security grounds, or because of criminal activity or human rights violations. It also includes those who fail to file their refugee claims in a timely manner and those who have previously made an unsuccessful refugee claim. [60] For the purpose of these reasons, I will refer to the various classes of individuals described in the two preceding paragraphs collectively as individuals “seeking the protection of Canada”. [61] In contrast to the pre-2012 IFHP, which provided the same level of coverage to all those eligible for the program, the 2012 IFHP regime now provides for three tiers of coverage: i. Expanded Health Care Coverage (EHCC); ii. Health Care Coverage (HCC); and iii. Public Health or Public Safety Health Care Coverage (PHPS). [62] Which tier of IFHP coverage a person will be entitled to receive under the 2012 IFHP depends upon a number of factors including: i. Where the individual is in the refugee determination process (e.g. refugee claimant, successful claimant or rejected claimant); ii. whether the individual is a national of a Designated Country of Origin (DCO)[2]; iii. if the individual is not a refugee claimant, the person’s status in Canada (e.g: permanent resident, resettled refugee, victim of human trafficking, person with a positive PRRA decision, etc.); iv. whether the individual receives federally-funded resettlement assistance; and v. whether the individual is being detained. [63] Under the 2012 IFHP it is now therefore possible for an individual to receive different levels of IFHP coverage at different times. By way of example, a refugee claimant from a non-DCO country would receive HCC while their claim is outstanding, but their coverage would be reduced to the PHPS level if the claim is rejected. This is the case even where, as with Mr. Ayubi, the Government of Canada has placed a moratorium on returning rejected refugees to their country of origin. [64] Similarly, a refugee claimant from a DCO country would be limited to PHPS coverage while his or her refugee claim is pending before the Immigration and Refugee Board, but if the claim is ultimately accepted, the individual’s level of insurance coverage would then increase to the HCC level. [65] Also noteworthy is the fact that the 2012 changes to the IFHP eliminated the means test, with the result that everyone in a particular category of claimants is entitled to health insurance coverage at the relevant level, regardless of their ability to pay for their own health care. [66] The scope of the coverage provided under each tier of the IFHP will be discussed next. (1) Expanded Health Care Coverage [67] Expanded Health Care Coverage is substantially equivalent to the level of IFHP benefits provided under the pre-2012 program, and is essentially the same level of publicly-funded health care insurance coverage as is available to low-income Canadians under provincial or territorial benefit plans. EHCC pays for the services of hospitals, physicians, nurses, and other health care professionals. Coverage is also provided for laboratory, diagnostic and ambulance services, translation services for health purposes, and supplemental services and products such as prescription medications, emergency dental services, vision benefits and assistive devices. [68] Those entitled to EHCC benefits include most government-assisted refugees and some privately-sponsored refugees, as well as victims of human trafficking and some individuals admitted under a public policy or on humanitarian and compassionate grounds. According to the respondents, 14% of all IFHP beneficiaries now receive EHCC benefits. (2) Health Care Coverage [69] The second tier of coverage is Health Care Coverage. The respondents submit that HCC provides health insurance coverage that is similar to the level of coverage received by working Canadians through their provincial or territorial health insurance plans. In addition, HCC provides coverage for medications and immunizations that are required to prevent or treat a disease posing a risk to public health or treat a condition that is a public safety concern. Other medications are not covered under HCC, even if they are required for life-threatening conditions. [70] While not a change from the pre-2012 IFHP, it is factually incorrect to say that HCC provides health insurance coverage that is similar to the level of coverage received by working Canadians. There is a limitation on HCC coverage that does not apply to the coverage provided to working Canadians under provincial or territorial health insurance plans. That is, while HCC beneficiaries recieve coverage for services and products such as hospital in-patient and out-patient services, physicians, nurses, and other health care professionals and laboratory, diagnostic and ambulance services, the 2012 OIC makes it clear that these services and products are only covered “if they are of an urgent or essential nature” as defined in the Interim Federal Health Program Policy. [71] The Interim Federal Health Program Polic
Source: decisions.fct-cf.gc.ca
Read next in Evidence
Federal Court of Appeal · 2024
Démocratie en surveillance c. Canada (Procureur général)
2024 CAF 75
1 more related case below