What doesn't belong in the list?
A) Hydrogen bombs
B) Heroin
C) Health care
D) Harlots
The answer: They all belong. Each is not legally obtainable in Canada by those who have the means and desire to acquire them. Under a two-tier health care system, people are given a choice: Pay or die. Under the Liberals, the Pay option is removed. We once had a reasonably well functioning system in Canada until the Liberals strangled it in their blind quest for the Holy Grail of a balance budget. (Needed to dig us out of the hole another Liberal, Pierre, put us into.) Now, we have a health-care crisis! Canadians are dying on waiting lists. Politicians are dismissing any and all alternatives to our present course: They are turning their backs on the workable in search of the perfect. Unfortunately, the dying can't afford the wait.
I would suggest multi-sided attack on the problem. Allow several tiers, or delivery systems, to begin operating immediately. The priority must be to serve the needs of the patients first, and fix the payment system later. Once patient needs are being met, we can then examine which ideas work and which fail. We will have learned from the experience. We will have clear vision and a menu of choices. Armed with accurate knowledge, we can adopt a system which has a balance of fairness, effectiveness, economy, and efficiency. Without this knowledge, we're guessing, and open to exploitation from fear mongering politicians in their quest for perks, profit, and power.
Cheers, PW. |
