A reader urged that I give this item from Norm’s Spectator wider exposure. My pleasure, as always! (Be sure to click on the link to read his brief comment.)
Proposed by the Laval Federal Liberal Association, it reads:
Whereas the Chaoulli decision has demonstrated that, in practice, the current health care system enables the wealthy to obtain health care without the normal waiting times;
Whereas waiting times in the public health care system lead to physical and psychological illnesses; Whereas in certain cases waiting times can lead to death;
Whereas the illnesses caused by these waiting times are a violation of the fundamental principles of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms;
Whereas prohibiting private health insurance has not proven to be an infallible means of protecting the public health care system or as a provision ensuring respect for, and implementation of, our values enshrined in the Charter;
Be it resolved that the Liberal Party of Canada shall request Parliament to consider other methods of safeguarding and protecting the public health care system other than by prohibiting private health insurance;
Be it further resolved that we shall support all efforts to reduce waiting times by means that go beyond simply prohibiting private health insurance plans;
Be it further resolved that we recommend considering practices that make room for private initiatives whose terms and conditions will be supervised by the government.
Now, perhaps one of those early morning sleepyheads who surf through here from bellglobal.ca and the CBC to catch up on next week’s news will take this development further.
Who’d have guessed this glimmer of reality-based policy would break through the clouds on Planet Liberal to shine over Quebec?
Apparently all you have to do in Canada is .. rather than behave like the sheep our government would like us to … we will do better if we march to our own drummer.
We could all learn something from Quebec.
With the Ottawa gang-members, just like the jihads, acquiescences is seen as weakness.
Let wear our colors … where I have heard “our strength is our diversity” I think it the old GG.
Do you think this is what she meant?
Oh,Oh, there goes the neighborhood.
Private healthcare from the Libs. Whodathunkit?
But we don’t want no stinkin ‘merican health system.
Next thing you know the Liberanos will be making abortion illegal.I mean, anythin to get elected.
Horny Toad
Aw, crap! There they go stealing a plank out of the CPC’s hidden agenda, er, platform.
Sidetrack – Could anyone verify this, I heard that a refugee can get up to 1890.00/month allowance and 580.00 assistance from the government. Compare that with a pensioner who can only get $1012.00/month. Should our pensioners apply as refugees?
you think that news of this proposition even if the MSM ever reported it will get the birkenstock lesbians in toronto and the racialist fascists in quebec to all of a sudden vote conservative? your optimism is admirable.
Well they almost got it but not quite.
The crisis isn’t about not having the facilities, its about getting timely access to the ones that are there. Why the wait? A billing process that is constrained by government controls. If you go get a proceedure that is not covered under the listed ones, you get it cheaper and quicker. Why? Because the pay out for it is done by the private insurer and is not restricted to “x” number of proceedures per billing period like the public government run insurance program restricted by the CHA.
The “healthcare system” doesn’t run for free, and they won’t wait till the next billing period to be paid for a proceedure while the suppliers and staff demand to be paid on a regular basis.
And the actuaries don’t calculate stats based on reality, but on worstcase scenario when they establish liability, that other factor used when the public insurer decides how many proceedures will be allowed during a billing period.
There is a column worth reading in the Globe Nov. 14 on this (full text not on-line) by Lysiane Gagnon, “A pill Quebec won’t swallow”:
“In the unlikely event that the Martin government would give in to the NDP’s push for a crackdown on private health care, it would face a wall in Quebec. The province already has the highest number of private medical clinics in the country — one of which counts the Prime Minister himself as a patient. If Ottawa tried to impose penalties on the provincial government for tolerating these clinics, it would raise a huge public outcry — and make no mistake, even those Quebeckers who are adamantly against any form of privatization would not side with Ottawa, since they believe that health is a provincial jurisdiction.”..
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/Page/document/v4/sub/MarketingPage?user_URL=http://www.theglobeandmail.com%2Fservlet%2FArticleNews%2FTPStory%2FLAC%2F20051114%2FCOGAG14%2FTPComment%2FTopStories&ord=53916961&brand=theglobeandmail&redirect_reason=2&denial_reasons=none&force_login=false
Mark
Ottawa
“[S]ince they believe that health is a provincial jurisdiction.”
And by gosh, they’re right!
CBC will report ” ITS RALPH’S FAULT ”
Good shot at MSM catching up on next week’s news from the blogs, Kate.
Nuanced reporting by MSM with their own gatekeeping Liberal agenda, I would say.
The Liberal plan has an election on April 10th. The day after Palm Sunday, right in the middle of Passion Week and right at the end of Lent.
Since Lent and Easter are important events on the Christian calendar, like Christmas, why are they not raising this objection to the Liberals?
In the end, there is no time during the year when someone’s holiday won’t be disrupted by an election. There is no perfect time to have one, so waiting is a futile exercise.
Does this mean you better have a Mastercard if you go travelling in Quebec? Just in case?
The current health regime cannot improve until it begins to treat patients as a source of income rather than as drain on a bureaucratic budget. Until we do away with the current unionized monopoly on delivery, ie by getting the private sector involved, we will have rationing by queue and underspending on diagnostic devices, such as MRIs.
Shaken:
You better have a Mastercard if you go travelling in Quebec now. They are not part of the “reciprocal agreement” between provinces that allow you to use your provincial health insurance anywhere in Canada (hmm, wasn’t that another pillor of the Canada Health Act (portability) that I just heard fall?).
In the clinic where I work, if a Quebec resident needs to see a physician or use any other service they must pay cash, receive a receipt, and then get reimbursed from the Quebec provincial health insurer. It’s my understanding this is frequently what non Quebec residents must do while utilizing health care in Quebec. For residents of any other provence we just take their health insurance #.
Why travel in Quebec at all. They don’t speak English and they hate you.
Come to BC the scenery better and so is the weather.
And we like you.
Martin, speaking in Quebec yesterday, explains why we will all follow the lead of that province:
“Quebecers have been leaders within Canada, Mr. Martin said, pointing out that Quebec’s pension fund and daycare system have served as examples for the rest of the country.
”Certain people would say that they want to build their own country. I say to them that Quebecers built Canada — it is our country.
See, you other nine provinces, we made you, so do like we tell you!
The Liberal Party, bought and paid for by the Quebec establishment, knows no bounds on its arrogance. Martin is just the latest mouthpiece for Power Corp, Bombardier, Strong et al. The rest of Canada is mere hinterland.
Obviously what the Liebrals will do is give Quebec whatever they want – and more, and then turn around and demonize Alberduh and Ralph Klein on their Scaaaaaaaarry Hidden Agenda!
Works like a charm everytime as the sheep come home once again!
I read an op-ed piece a while back written by a Ouebec doctor. He said his daily schedule is to see 60 people in 5 hours. He complained that he could not give his patients quality care. One would think that the Canadian government would be happy to have those who can afford to do so opt out of the public medical system to make more room for those who cannot. But, that would lead to inequalities. But- didn’t I read somewhere that the saintly Joe Martin has private medical care? That can’t be right.
Sorry, I don’t remember of the author of the op-ed piece.
In Question Period today the Conservatives, sadly, attacked the Liberals on this for not being sufficiently against private health insurance.
Why do they call themselves Conservatives? One’s hopes fade.
Mark
Ottawa
What I like about this site is that one can refer Liberals here.
Those Liberals who can allow themselves to think will see the obvious truth here and at least vote CPC this one time.
That way the Liberal party can clear out the rotten wood and refresh itself. There are many honest Liberals. [ie:Allen Cutler]
If they get back in as a mortally wounded lame duck party, the scorn will be so severe, they could bite the dust permanently with no chance on earth of recovery. Canada too, may not recover properly.
Let’s hope there are not too many *Rigid liberals* who refuse to allow themselves to think.
The CBC propaganda campaign that so skillfully instilled fear of Harper and the CPC has worked well beyond the dreams of Paul Martin and Liberal bosses.
I meet many people here on Vancouver Island who say they have to stick with the Liberal party because they are afraid of the Harper team.
What a misplaced fear that is. Harper and all have young families for which they want to keep Canada as a vibrant and well run place to live and prosper.
Martin and the Liberal bosses are Financial Empire builders who just want to further amass huge financial reserves at our expense.
That’s exactly what those who fear Harper are afraid of!
The Harper team would normally enjoy a landslide victory in the next election, except that the CBC and MSM fear mongering campaigns against Harper have been so powerful that it leaves a lot of room for doubt.
Hope for the best anyway. 73s
http:www.My.Opera.com/T-G/
Libs in Quebec will say anything to bolster their support. They certainly were not about to go into that province and quash the surging privatization without paying a price. They’ve given up any attempts to appear at all ethical or non-partisan. They want Quebec because therein lies the way to a majority government. But I really don’t think anybody’s buying it, and every minute, they look even more desperate. It is a joy to watch. I just worry, and with good reason, that even were the 3 opp leaders to go the GG and demand an election be called, she would not do anything to upset the Liberals to whom she is indebted.
Private Health Care for Quebec
It is notable that while the media was quick to pick up on any Ralph Klein statements on private health care little has been written about Quebec. More than likely because of statements like this:
Macleans:
If Martin were against private health care…