Frustrated while awaiting surgery on his damaged knee, Saskatchewan Roughriders receiver Matt Dominguez told a national TSN telecast about his unhappiness and inadvertently waded into a debate about universal health care. All this in a province approaching an election, in the birthplace of medicare, where surgical waiting times are always a hot-button topic.
“I went from being on the best team in the league, leading the league in receiving, to being on a list for surgery,” Dominguez said Monday after calling the Leader-Post to clarify his on-air comments.
“I’ve lived here for three years and I’m involved in the community, but not a week goes by that I don’t hear somebody complain about the health care system. Because I’m an American, I can’t talk about the health care system? You never hear people saying that the waiting lists are awesome. I never said I’m better than anyone or that I should be put ahead of anybody else. I’m not. I’m just saying that if I have to wait eight months (for surgery), that’s too long.”
There’s a reason that the Saskatchewan Roughriders have never won a Grey Cup with the NDP in office.
But what Tommy Douglas taketh away, Lorne Calvert can giveth!
Help Matt Jump The Wait Times Queue!
Telephone: (306) 787-9433
Facsimile: (306) 787-0885
premier@gov.sk.ca
May the NDP be reduced to begging after the election…
The CBC would have censored that conversation. I remember watching the game and enjoyed his dig at socialist medicine. He will have to wait in line behind the 80 yo lady and accountant with the blown ACL.
and rightfully so, who wants those effing americans coming up here and increasing our wait times when we have to go down there and use their system. sarc off.
Wow, that’s interesting !
Last year I went to the Doctor of my choice with knee problems, got an MRI, X-Ray’s, checkup and relieved myself in the bottle all in one morning. The Doc scheduled the knee for surgery 2 weeks later to take care of a torn meniscus, bone spur and a pinto bean sized cist. Three months later with 90% of my knee strength back squirrel hunting, fishing, throwing horseshoes and beer drinking are back on my agenda.
Of course, I do live in America and pay close to $500 / month for coverage which includes health, dental and disability.
He’s right. 8 months wait for an operation is ridiculus, whether you are a pro football player or librarian.
For the amount of money that goes into health care from our taxes, we shouldn’t have to wait 8 days for surgery, let alone 8 months.
See, this is just a common example of American open-mindedness and consideration. What stops Canadians from incessant bashing of America, and not just the health care system? Nothing. We need to coin a new term:
THE UGLY ANTI-AMERICAN.
I agree, Doug. I detest Yankee bashing. And good for Matt for speaking up. We need some more celebrities on the wait list speaking up. When will this deplorable situation get fixed? And how?
Members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders have been coming to Alberta for years for MRI diagnostics.
I’m unsure why the Roughriders do not send Dominguez for surgery to the US, then charge the bill back to medicare.
Since our Petrodollar is now higher than par, it would be a relative bargain.
I do live in America and pay close to $500 / month for coverage which includes health, dental and disability.
I live in BC and pay in the range of 3 to 4 hundred and all I get is substandard medical.
No dental (thats extra$)
No disability (thats extra$)
Of course Killer Cretchen gets excelent service.
I,m sure glad we don’t have that lousey American medical system.
You tell ’em Matt. Our waiting times are a disgrace. BTW, the surgical wait times we hear about are the time from when a specialist sees you until you get surgery, it doesn’t include the months you wait to see the specialist.
Some people claim our health care system is part of our national identity and are very proud of it.
They’re right, it is part of our national identity, and it’s not second rate, it’s thirty-second rate, but for some reason we are proud as hell of it.
Go figure.
Matt brings a bit of attention to our disgraceful waiting lists and that’s a great thing. Good for him.
“Eight months is too long to wait for surgery?”
Is this guy nuts? That’s crazy talk. Everybody knows ya gotta wait in line.
Gee I thought that was what the “wait list ” was for to wait.
I’ve been waiting going on 5 months with prostate cancer and still can not get a date.
Bob in Chaplin
Don’t get me started on this ‘so called’ one tiered health care system. Canadians have always had two tiered as witnessed recently by the speedy service Cretin received. My father had to wait for 9 months in excruciating pain for knee repalement surgery. He paid into this system for nearly 50 years and this is his payback. Guess he should have run as a Liberal a while back and they would have sent a helicopter to pick him up. Canadians need to wake up and face reality because the system is broken and will only get worse as our country ages….
Forgive me if I’m amused that the Riders have a home game four days before the election.
$20 says Messrs. Dominguez and Wall have a photo shoot together at that game at some point. Do we know where in the states Mr. Dominguez is from?
As helpful as the other signs have been, this has just guaranteed Mr. Wall a majority government, me thinks.
This just begs for snide and sarcastic commentary!
Welocome to Kanada Eh!
I’m with Sean. I think 8 days is too long of a wait time for a surgery in a non-emergency situation. The NDP tinkering with the system to reduce the wait by WEEKS to other multiple week waits isn’t even funny it’s so twisted.
As I’ve noted on this blog before, I’ve experienced both the Canadian and US health care systems (we had our first child in the US when I was working there, second and third child in Canada).
US system is far superior. Period.
I just cannot understand why in Canada we cling to a system that clearly doesn’t work and that provides such poor service. (Not to mention there are many incompetent doctors/specialists in the Canadian system who would be left to rot in the US if they provided such bad service there)
It might in part simply be anti-Americanism (a trait which I hate as much as the rest of you), but I think it is also that libs and NDP types have gone to great lengths to brainwash our youngsters into believing that universal health care is something wonderful.
I think we can do even better than the Americans when it comes to health care, but because we are too darn scared to let private companies in on the game we get nowhere.
Hey TJ:
Private companies in a medical system?
You mean like those oppressive, money-grubbing dentists, whose services are paid through private insurance in Canada?
We could never have that. It’s more moral to suffer in silence than to actually pay for a service when it’s needed? Right or wrong?
EVERYTHING IS ALRIGHT….GO BACK TO YOUR GRAZING….IGNORE THE SICK AND DYING PILING UP…THEY ARE PROFESSIONAL COMPLAINERS…NOTHING TO SEE HERE…GO BACK TO YOUR GRAZING…LANDRU LOVES YOU.
Zrrrrct,,,That is all…click
I wish we could get the MSM in the US to cover those kinds of stories. We are being saturated with the unquestioning inevitability of Hillary-care.
This story has to be false. Michael Moore just released a movie that clearly shows the canadian health care system is superior. Mikey would never lie,would he?
I pay $74.93, twice a month so I can get a MRI within a week but (gasp!) I have to pay $25.00 to visit the doctor’s office.
BTW, the time in the waiting room for my MRI was so short that I didn’t have time to finish the coffee and homebaked cookie they offered. Chocolate chip if you must know 😉 and I took it homw with me.
No system is perfect but holding up the dying Canadian model as a sacred thing is just plain stupid.
You guys want to get rid of medicare. Why? I have no idea. You don’t have a clue do you? Matt Domiguez is a nice guy and should not be used to score points for you guys. He gets in sooner because he is a football player. Why he would lend his name to your racist blog I will never know.
I waited two and half years for knee surgery and couldn’t care less.
It’s my knee, my problem!
Kate, you should order a dumptruck full of cheese for all the whiners posting here.
there are ways to improve the canadian healthcare system, but I don’t think that embracing the American model is necessarily the right way. there are many way
if you look at any universal health care system, you will find long waiting lists. Canada, UK, Germany, Netherlands all have wait lists.some are worse than others, and the ones who have the shortest lists usually have the highest taxes.
I live in the UK and the system is free, but it is generally crap. I used to live in Ireland, where again there is a free system, but it is even worse than the UK, worse than any of you Canadian can possibly imagine.
however, in Ireland, there is also the option of private healthcare, which most people who can afford $100 a month choose to use.
the result is a multi-tiered system, where the richest get the best care and the rest get mediocre care, and every year the health insurance companies drive up the price of everything as they have a virtual monopoly.
throwing out universal healthcare will not solve the problems it has right now. however, if you open it up to TRUE competition, not collusion and cronyism, then you will have a better system.
it boils down to this in ireland: if you don’t want to wait, you can buy your way out of the problem.
PS the Riders don’t win because they are just not that good.
WOW! Talk about not having learned your history! Are you youngsters forgetting that in 1961, people rioted in the streets of Regina when the Woodrow Lloyd NDP governemnt proposed medicare. Why might you ask? Keep in mind that in 1961, rioting in a public place could buy you jail time, and for a long time!!
The reasons for the riots were simple. We had the best doctors, the best hospitals and the best research facilites in Canada. As a matter of fact, in 1960, Sask. surpassed all other provinces and most US states in Cobalt treatment of Cancer. (U of S hospital,)
Doctors, nurses and other medical personnel knew that it would be the end of that system if the government got involved in medicine. Look at what is happening today. Yet people still venerate Tommy Douglas. Today, to wrap it all up in one word, “disillusionment” best discribes the medicare system. What was predicted in 1961 has happened. It’s too expensive, and the best people have moved away into the private system.
WOW! Talk about not having learned your history! Are you youngsters forgetting that in 1961, people rioted in the streets of Regina when the Woodrow Lloyd NDP governemnt proposed medicare. Why might you ask? Keep in mind that in 1961, rioting in a public place could buy you jail time, and for a long time!!
The reasons for the riots were simple. We had the best doctors, the best hospitals and the best research facilites in Canada. As a matter of fact, in 1960, Sask. surpassed all other provinces and most US states in Cobalt treatment of Cancer. (U of S hospital,)
Doctors, nurses and other medical personnel knew that it would be the end of that system if the government got involved in medicine. Look at what is happening today. Yet people still venerate Tommy Douglas. Today, to wrap it all up in one word, “disillusionment” best discribes the medicare system. What was predicted in 1961 has happened. It’s too expensive, and the best people have moved away into the private system.
“There’s a reason that the Saskatchewan Roughriders have never won a Grey Cup with the NDP in office.”
The suggestion is ridiculous. Another SDA article spinning nothing into something.
There was more government spending and involvement in health care when Divine was in office. Perhaps we should go down that route again?
The solution is not to model the US system. Do we need reform? Yes. Does that include private involvement? Most likely. I know you absolutely idolize our neighbours to the south, but if we want to be practical and have the best health care, we’d be better off to borrow from some of the European systems.
As it stands we live three years longer than Americans and Saskatchewan residents live longer than all other Canadians. This isn’t completely attributable to the health care system, but it does play a role. Like I said, I agree we need change, but you come out preaching doom and gloom every day not out of objectivity, but partisan politics.
I support a change in government for Saskatchewan, but at the same time I ask you, Kate, how has your life been so horrible since the NDP has been in power? Have they done nothing beneficial for the province?
When Brad Wall gets elected, will you publish critical commentary when everything isn’t coming up roses? Can I expect critical articles about his impending government? Not likely. Because, of course, they’ll do everything right. Sure…
Opps sorry!! Now you’ll know it “twice” as well!!
good for you Liberal Ron, step out of the health system for another few years and save us all some money.
A liberal in pain and suffering is worth two on the dole.
I think the problem isn’t that Dominguez is in Canada, it’s that’s he’s in Saskatchewan, playing for the Roughriders.
Jason Clermont blew out his knee in BC at the beginning of last year. He was back on the field in something like 8 weeks. I don’t know where he had his surgery, but you can bet that David Braley, Wally Buono and the BC Lions didn’t wait around for a spot to open up at Surrey Memorial Hospital. He had surgery within days, just as members of the Vancouver Canucks do whenever they have an injury.
Just another reason why it pays, not only in monetary terms, to play for the class of the CFL.
We already have a two-tier health care system in Canada, and top notch professional franchises take advantage of it. Too bad the Roughriders aren’t in that category.
ok4ua – did you read the story?
“He gets in sooner because he is a football player. Why he would lend his name to your racist blog I will never know.”
racist,racist,racist,racist,racist……say it five times and the boogeyman will appear.
Hey Steve and Liberal Ron, Do you know off hand what happens to people when they wait 8 months for leg surgery? I do. Its called “muscle atrophy”.
If Dominguez really does wait 8 months he might be kissing his football career goodbye. Muscles atrophy a lot in that length of time. For sure he’s out for 6 to 8 months AFTER the surgery as he gets his fitness and agility back.
But you know, Dominguez is a kid. A big, strong athletic one to boot. He’ll heal fast.
Know what happens when you make an old lady wait 8 months for knee or hip surgery? They die.
They die of pneumonia, bed sores, blood clots, heart failure, stroke, and did I mention pneumonia? All caused by atrophy because they can’t walk. Go look it up boys, Google is your friend. I didn’t make this up.
Long waiting lists really do kill people. Every frickin’ day some old geezer keels over from it who wouldn’t have died in the USA.
How’s that NDP looking now, eh?
Sombody call me?
http://www.ndpboogeyman.blogspot.com
“ok4ua – did you read the story?
“He gets in sooner because he is a football player. Why he would lend his name to your racist blog I will never know.”
Perhaps someone should tell this infant that adults are talking but it begs to question. How exactly does commenting on our crumbling and inefficient health care system make one rascist. I suppose you read it on one of your Liberal moonbat blogs so it seemed appropriate. Boy, and you wonder why people just laugh at you people…amazing
why should the suffering and death of Canadians be of any importance when the government’s monopoly on hospital health care delivery benefits so many unionized nurses & CUPE types ??
Common Canada, there are people getting their pension time in here because of these lineups ?
What’s a little suffering and death when socialist goals are being achieved.
Never bothered Joe Stalin 🙂
Look back through the mists of time to founding of Trudeaupia. Great Leader had no satisfactory sense of what Canadian culture was or what a Canadian was. But in a stroke of genius for which he has since become renowned for he conceived of a simple formula to fill this void in his being. Henceforth he worked to build Canada’s identity by taking contrary measures to what ever the USA does.
If the USA is a melting pot then Canada should be Multicultural.
If the USA uses its own legislatures to direct its foreign affairs then Canada must defer its foreign affairs to the UN.
If the USA uses private healthcare then Canada must have government healthcare.
Over time too many Canadians have depended on his simple formula (Let’s call it the Simpleton Formula) to mold their beliefs about what Canada is and what Canada should do.
I call it the Simpleton Formula because out of all the countries that Great Leader could have chosen to be contrary to, he chose The United States of America.
Liberal Ron:
Okay for you to say when you look like this and the point of your life is fleeting pleasure you ungodly liberal slob.
Re: Mark S’s post about football players jumping the queue.
I believe the reason pro athletes get surgery before others is because it’s covered under “workers compensation”, or something that operates on an analogous principle, i.e. if you’re injured while performing your employment duties and your injury prevents you from continuing with those duties, you’re entitled to have the injury treated as soon as possible so you can recommence those employment duties and start earning your livelihood again. No different than, say, a construction worker getting to see a WCB physician for a work related injury. Why Dominguez can’t get treated on this basis, who knows?
The major cause of bankruptcy in the U.S. is medical bills. Period.
This morning I heard about a Canadian gospel singer who went to Ohio to sing. He had a heart attack instead. In 3 days he had amassed a $47,000 bill. Great service though. Travel health insurance is a must. A heart attack in Canada will never cost you your house.
I am sorry, private, public, I don’t care. 19 months for my surgery was too long for me to wait. Then add the twice a month hospital visits for treatments for my condition until the surgery could take place were not “free” for the health system either… No one would be complaining about our public system if it delievered timely cost effective services… no one would be questioning the public system if it met our needs… And if it means I have to pay $1500-$3000/year in private health insurance to have my surgery in 4 weeks, I’ll pay that!
Why is it that whenever anyone wants to change the staus quo in healthcare in Canada the leftists always refer to the evil American system. Why not look at other countries that have a socialized health care system. Like the UK, France, Switzserland, Belgium, Germany etc..
In Japan when you have a health problem there is a prescribed waiting time (not 8 months) or even 1 month. If the public system can’t treat you in the prescribed time the individual has the right to go to the private sector and get treatment (whatever that may be) and the bill gets sent to the government for payment.
This system makes the public system improve because they are under presssure from the private sector which thrives on efficiency and not beauracracy.
“This morning I heard about a Canadian gospel singer who went to Ohio to sing. He had a heart attack instead. In 3 days he had amassed a $47,000 bill. Great service though. Travel health insurance is a must. A heart attack in Canada will never cost you your house.”
and it won’t cost you your house there either if you buy Insurance. $500+ a month does the job.
Or you can have the government to tax the hell out of you so they can make you wait in line for years for “free” healthcare.
Quit pointing fingers at the US and talking about how bad tiered health care is. There are tiered health care systems in this world in developed countries that operate much more efficiently and the people who have free health care still get good doctors (maybe not the best) but the waiting lines are almost non-existent. Please stop comparing Saskatchewan health care to the health care of poor/bad systems. Compare it to some of the most successful systems and we look like a 3rd world country. Now we have something to strive for rather than saying “But it’s better than the US”
And who opposes private health care or 2-tiered health care? Wake up and smell something people. We’ve had it for decades here in Saskatchewan. Has anyone been to the dentist before that doesn’t support private health care? If so, you are a hypocrite. I bet not too many of you knew about the private health clinic in Regina…and yes you get to jump the line if you want to pay. Am I willing to pay…no. But the democratic part of it is that I have a CHOICE. There is no democracy in a universal health care system.
Go talk to all the retired NFLers that don’t have healthcare in the states. Mr.Domingez should be thankful he lives in Canada where his healthcare is paid for. I think his knee injury has pretty well finished his career. He has no buisness criticizing something he wouldn’t have in the states. Also his injury isn’t life threatening.
Steve D, lose your house and live or die painfully in your house waiting for “free” surgery.
Hard choice eh?
This is why we work, Stevie. So we can have money, so we can buy stuff we need. Like a new knee.
Like many others have posted, I too am against senseless Yankee bashing. Except North Dakotans. Bash away at those retards all you like. 🙂 (No, really. What is the point of North Dakota?)
The 2 tiered system is alive alive and well in Canada. Its just that the 2nd tier is south of the border.
I had my meniscus repaired last November in the States after my Canadian surgeon (whom I’d waited 4 months to see after I waited 3 months for an MRI) advised me I would wait another 8 months for a procedure. One week after seeing the Canadian surgeon I was operated on in Fargo. I guess it was good for Canada that I had it done down south as it freed up room on the waiting list but the few thousand dollars it cost me is completely lost to the Canadian economy, which is bad.
Incidentally stevie d, the number one cause of bankruptcy in the USA is credit cards. And car loans. And mortgages.
See, people buy stuff with the money they don’t have. Then they get sick and can’t service the debt they’ve incurred.
Yes I know some bleeding heart at Harvard said healthcare debt was the source of half of all bankruptcies. I find his reasoning unpersuasive.
Try this on for size: http://www.usdoj.gov/ust/eo/public_affairs/articles/docs/abi01sepnumbers.html
This reminds me of a comment made by an American baseball player back when the Montreal Expos were still around. He was taken to a hospital in Montreal for an x-ray. He told reporters that the x-ray equipemnt was so old, he “thought that a woodpecker was going to come out and peck out the x-ray”.
Never fails that the health care boondogle brings out the moonbats to shriek….
Monumental stupidity is certainly the hallmark of the lib/left commenters …. unfailingly.