Unhealthy alliance

Good news: the traditional Ralph Klein Undermines Stephen Harper At Every Turn election tour is underway:

“We're at point right now where we've hired a firm, a controversial firm undoubtedly, to do an assessment of whether people — as to whether there would be an insurance agency willing to accommodate people who wish to buy insurance for non-essential non-emergency services. That's where we are right now," Mr. Klein said.

He says he discussed the matter, and health care in general, in a meeting with Opposition Leader Stephen Harper Monday and that Mr. Harper gave the idea the thumbs-up. "His response is that's fine."

Of course, Harper had already given up any hope of challenging the Liberals on health care. But now he'll face the ever-pleasant choice of either alienating core voters in Alberta by calling Klein a liar, or facing the same "supporter of private health care" claim that has long dogged the Cons (even as the Libs allow the system to move in the same direction by omission).

Mind you, there is one party that's neither wilfully ignoring privatization, nor actively encouraging it - either on the provincial or federal level. Ideally, Klein's attention to the issue will also call attention to the privatization within two parties, rather than merely allowing the Libs to paint themselves as the saviours of health care again.