Canada's Health Care: Not for All Canadians, Apparently - New York Post
Oh (no) Canada Last Updated: 3:37 AM, February 3, 2010
Posted: February 03, 2010
You've heard the mantra, chanted by everyone on the left, from Michael Moore to The New York Times: America's profit-centric health-care system is dismally inferior to that of Canada's purely pristine humanitarian-driven version.
Indeed, the central theme of Moore's 2007 "documentary" film, "Sicko," was that Canada -- with its universal, government-run and taxpayer-funded "free" health care -- is a medical paradise.
And a Times editorial last August glowingly declared: "Contrary to what one hears in political discourse, the bulk of the research comparing the United States and Canada found a higher quality of care in our northern neighbor." Well, tell that to Danny Williams, premier of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labor.
The popular 59-year-old politician has discovered that nothingis for free. He's somewhere in the US today -- prepping for heart surgery.
Seems the procedure he needs simply isn't available in Newfoundland -- at any price.
And, with his own health on the line, he prefers to put his trust in the "second-rate, profit-driven health-care behemoth" south of the St. Lawrence, rather than try a hospital in Canada.
"Ultimately, we have to be the gatekeepers of our own health," said Williams' deputy premier, "and he has taken medical advice from a number of different sources,"
Williams, he added, "is doing what's best for him."
Precisely.
Last summer, President Obama -- who still hopes to overhaul American health-care -- defended the Canadian system as one that "works for Canada."
Not for all Canadians, apparently.
Certainly not those well-connected pols, who -- like Danny Williams -- can afford better health care in the good ol' US of A.
Get well soon, Danny.
PRINT EMAIL SHARE Yahoo! Buzz Digg Reddit Fark It Newsvine StumbleUpon Twitter Facebook RSS You've heard the mantra, chanted by everyone on the left, from Michael Moore to The New York Times: America's profit-centric health-care system is dismally inferior to that of Canada's purely pristine humanitarian-driven version.
Indeed, the central theme of Moore's 2007 "documentary" film, "Sicko," was that Canada -- with its universal, government-run and taxpayer-funded "free" health care -- is a medical paradise.
And a Times editorial last August glowingly declared: "Contrary to what one hears in political discourse, the bulk of the research comparing the United States and Canada found a higher quality of care in our northern neighbor."
Well, tell that to Danny Williams, premier of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador.
The popular 59-year-old politician has discovered that nothing is for free. He's somewhere in the US today -- prepping for heart surgery.
Seems the procedure he needs simply isn't available in Newfoundland -- at any price.
And, with his own health on the line, he prefers to put his trust in the "second-rate, profit-driven health-care behemoth" south of the St. Lawrence, rather than try a hospital in Canada.
"Ultimately, we have to be the gatekeepers of our own health," said Williams' deputy premier, "and he has taken medical advice from a number of different sources,"
Williams, he added, "is doing what's best for him."
Precisely.
Last summer, President Obama -- who still hopes to overhaul American health-care -- defended the Canadian system as one that "works for Canada."
Not for all Canadians, apparently.
Certainly not those well-connected pols, who -- like Danny Williams -- can afford better health care in the good ol' US of A.
Get well soon, Danny.
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