Comments on: Palin target renounces care rationing (1)

By: Cynapse

Cynapse — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 02:53:19 +0000

It’s quite shocking that no one – even defenders of Canadian health-care – brings this up

By: nomdeblog

nomdeblog — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 23:31:16 +0000

One of our best kept secrets is that unlike what is happening in Washington, with a great central plan; we have the Provinces delivering Health. Thus we have 10 Provincial experiments to watch and that is Healthy. I would bet Quebec will be the Province to show the most innovative way forward because they are less ideological about it. They have the most private schools for example.

Paul Martin balanced the budget in the 90’s on the backs of the Canadian taxpayer and part of that trick was downloading Health out of Ottawa from 50% to 18%. Thus Ottawa now has little to do with it. Harris took the heat and blame on cuts that were really Martin’s and the MSM stood silent. But Harris actually increased spending on Ontario Health.

By: Jack

Jack — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 23:01:36 +0000

Re: #10 — “Therefore, I dont think the left leaning HM PM Harper will touch it with a ten foot pole.”

Unless of course he comes up with a better idea that works. There is always room for improvement.

By: UV

UV — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 22:54:16 +0000

Nom, Canadians love their universal health care and any Canadian political party that tinkers with it except to make it better, will lose at the polls. Therefore, I dont think the left leaning HM PM Harper will touch it with a ten foot pole.

By: nomdeblog

nomdeblog — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 19:14:42 +0000

One of the reasons Canadians in the ROC (not so much Quebec which has its own identity) have cherished their Health Care system and put up with wait times is because it was not American. It became a part of the ROC’s indentity. Again Quebec may lead the way to adaptive change because they don’t need to wrap themselves up in a government run program to have an identity.

But now with US Health morphing into some new kind of structure Canadians might be able to acknowledge what the CMA is warning them about and thus accept some needed adaptation to the modern world of medical solutions that includes more choice.

We already have a bit of choice; we have Shouldice Hernia Centre and Paul Martin’s Health clinic that he lied about. But soon we’ll be able to talk openly about those choices and encourage their entrepreneurial expansion. That will happen as we mature and discover a country’s identity should not depend on a government run program.

By: UV

UV — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 18:51:14 +0000

With all of its problems, Canada’s universal health care is still better than what the states have, particulary those who have lost their jobs and the poor.
And its important to note that CMA reports that more Canadian Doctors are returning from the states than going down.

By: nomdeblog

nomdeblog — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 12:51:02 +0000

Dr. Anne Doig , the incoming president of the Canadian Medical Association says this country’s health-care system is sick and doctors need to develop a plan to cure it.

“We all agree that the system is imploding, we all agree that things are more precarious than perhaps Canadians realize,”

The outgoing President Ouellet said “that competition should be welcomed, not feared.” In other words, Ouellet believes there could be a role for private health-care delivery within the public system.

Doig said “Canada’s doctors are trying to tell you, that you can get better care than what you’re getting and we all have to participate in the discussion around how do we do that and of course how do we pay for it.”

By: UV

UV — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:27:15 +0000

What a strange country the good old U.S. of A. has become. All the misinformation coming out of mainly the right about universal health care and its supposidly draw backs.
All industralized countries that have universal health care must be amazed by whats going on in one of the most powerful and wealthy countries in the world.

Sure glad I live in Canada where for the most part, common sense and fair play prevails.

Time that Canada looks elsewhere for trading partners although the states will always be important , possibly the E.Common Market, and the growing countries of India and China.

By: Pat

Pat — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 02:30:48 +0000

Being in power as the empty suit is, is what Mini-Marx is after.

By: mike

mike — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 01:48:19 +0000

The internet has been a great tool in getting the message out. How long before governments realize that is the biggest and best tool (weapon) in the hands of those who would hold them to account? How long before restrictions are placed on the internet and even blockages or sudden outages? China blocks a lot of internet use. We have seen “accidental” outages caused by cables being “accidentally” severed. The gov’t could easily have the internet shut down and our only source of news would be what they allow us to receive.

mid island mike

By: MaryT

MaryT — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 23:21:30 +0000

And this is the administration that Layton wants to copy.