National Post;

Anyone willing to look at actual data, or listen to real patient stories, has known for years Canadian health care is in perilous territory. Whether it’s ER wait times, hallway health care, surgical backlogs or the severe shortage of family doctors, the system isn’t working.

Unfortunately, any debate about how to fix it was stymied for years by leftist politicians who insisted critiquing Canadian health care was tantamount to treachery. They found it much more politically profitable to accuse Conservatives of wanting to import U.S.-style privatization, despite the fact literally no Conservative politicians were suggesting this.

Now, after years of squandered opportunities to fix our system, we’re instead exporting Canadians to the U.S. system. This week, British Columbia announced it’ll send nearly 5,000 patients over the next two years to the U.S. in order to receive cancer treatment. Aging radiation therapy machines and worker shortages have resulted in untenable wait times and significantly increased risk of poor outcomes, which is health care jargon for Canadians dying entirely preventable deaths.

Well, at least we have MAiD.

At the same time, we must consider how broad immigration targets that aim for record numbers of newcomers each year impact the problem. Similar questions swirl in relation to the housing crisis. We’ve failed to match immigration targets with the infrastructure to back them up, which hurts both Canadians and newcomers.

Oh, no. One mustn’t notice the million new elephants in the waiting room.