The vast majority of Canadians support the recommendations for reform put forward by Roy Romanow’s commission on the future of health care – and they want to see them implemented as quickly as possible.

A poll commissioned by the Canadian Medical Association and conducted by the firm Ekos Research, shows that nearly three in four Canadians – 74 percent – would like to see the Romanow report implemented within 100 days.

But despite this, the Alberta government has vowed to stand in the way.

Premier Ralph Klein is particularly upset by Romanow’s conclusion that the private sector has no major role to play in revitalizing Medicare.

In his report, Romanow argued that all core medical services should be retained within the public system because the evidence shows that private health care costs more and delivers less.

"Many of the so-called ‘new solutions’ being proposed for health care are not new at all," said Romanow, referring to things like privatization, user fees and private insurance.

"They are old solutions that didn’t work then and were discarded for that reason."

Romanow stopped short of calling for a ban on Bill 11-style contracting out of public health services to the private sector. But he recommends that federal money be used as an incentive to keep the system public. And he said "the preponderance of evidence is that (privatization) will not work."

Klein and Alberta Health Minister Gary Mar have dismissed the Romanow report as an unimaginative defense of the status quo. And they have promised to proceed with reforms based on the controversial Mazankowski report.

That report calls for many changes that run entirely counter to the vision advocated by Romanow. For example, Mazankowski recommends more contracting out to the private sector; a reduction in the range of services covered by Medicare; and financial penalties for people who get sick.

Klein is also opposed to Romanow’s suggestions that the Canada Health Act be amended to include accountability as a core principle. And he complained about the proposed Health Care Council, which Romanow says would watch over spending and evaluate the performance of different provincial health systems.

"We don’t need a watchdog," said Klein. "There’s already a watchdog. The watchdog is the media, the voters, the premiers and other elected politicians."

Klein even went so far to say that he may refuse to take any federal money that comes with "strings attached" – as would be the case with Romanow’s proposed Catastrophic Drug Transfer and his fund for improving access to diagnostic equipment.

"We’re not interested in the dollars if they are designated to programs that are not deemed to be the priorities of this province," said Klein.

Klein’s position was in sharp contrast to Manitoba’s NDP Premier Gary Doer, who gave the Romanow report his full backing.

"We should be accountable for the money we get," said Doer. "We have no difficulty with accountability."

The first real test of Premier Klein’s resolve to stand in the way of reform will come in mid January when the Premier meet to discuss their response to Romanow.