06-10-2005, 05:38 AM
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Too lazy to set a custom title
Industry Role:
Join Date: May 2001
Location: My network is hosted at TECHIEMEDIA.net ...Wait, you meant where am *I* located at? Oh... okay, I'm in Winnipeg, Canada. Oops. :)
Posts: 51,460
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Brad Gosse
I can't WAIT to start visiting private doctors.
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Don't go getting your chequebook out just yet. This doesn't seem to be about the two-tier system but more about bringing in more insurance options for Canadians.
Take a look... http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/Winnip...80136-sun.html
Quote:
OTTAWA -- Prime Minister Paul Martin said yesterday's Supreme Court ruling drives home the "urgent" need to tackle long waiting lists, but dismissed claims it spells the death of medicare in Canada.
"We're not going to have a two-tier health care system in this country -- nobody wants that," he said.
"What we want to do is to strengthen the public health care system. We want to make sure it is universal, we want to make sure we have timely access. That is what this is all about."
Downplaying the significance of the top court's decision, Martin denied the Liberal government created the wait-time crisis by slashing funding to the provinces.
"What today's decision does do, however, is accentuate just how important it is to act immediately, how urgent this situation is," he said.
But Deputy Conservative Leader Peter MacKay blamed Martin for killing the health system with "brutal" cuts he made as finance minister. Yesterday's ruling reflects a real danger that Canadians will lose universal, publicly funded health care, he said.
"The great fear is that it will lead to a 10-tier, patchwork quilt-type of health care system," he said.
"Depending on what province you live in, and depending on the availability of these private clinics if they continue to proliferate, Canadians are not going to be afforded equal treatment of access and equal treatment to health care across the country. That to me is a real threat."
Cut demand for private care
Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh insisted the $41-billion accord signed with provinces last fall will reduce wait times. The best way to fend off a trend of private insurance and care is to cut the demand, he said.
"My view is we need to strengthen the public health care system so there is no need for private care, and we are already on our way to doing that," he said.
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