I receive a monthly publication from Hillsdale college called "Imprimis". In the recent edition was this excerpt from a speech by Mark Steyn.
http://www.hillsdale.edu/news/imprimis/ ... 8&month=01
Question for our Canadian neighbors – what do you think of this article? How accurate is it?
Not trying to start any arguments, or insult anyone - just trying to gain a better understanding on the issues.
Politics - Question to our Canadian neighbors
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Ysabel Kid
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It is a well written arcticle that contains a fair bit of tongue and cheek humor on the writers part, with plenty of embelishment added to the piece to soften the cold hard facts imbeaded through out.
The hard cold facts in Canada are;
Canada's health care is under strain, yet we pay regional health care directors well over a million dollers a year here in Calgary, wilst watching our Docters leave Canada for the US, because taxes and deductions on a 6 figure income remove 50% of ones paycheck.
I love my healthcare but it is not free. My American wife was quick to point this out as we looked at our take home pay while searching for a family Doc. and Oby/gen.
As well as a nation we are facing a steep population decline due to shrinking birthrates, while coping with rising costs associated with an aging baby boomer population needing free health care.
Further compounding our problems is much of our natural resource wealth is being actively purchased by foriegn multinationals, predominantly China.
Because Canada is a conferaracy, it's values are very different when we compare values and politics from one province to another. Here in Alberta our values are much more aligned with the non union, independant values of the South. Whereas most residents of southern Ontario and the Maritimes would feel much more at home visiting like minded democrats in Mass. or NY state.
In short mankind tends to herd with likeminded people, and as an Albertan I find much more in common with friends from AZ, TN, SC, TX,and GA than many people I meet in Toronto.
At the end of the day we as neighbours and friends should remember, province by province state by state nation by nation we may not agree on everything, but we are sisters from a common mother, and sink or swim we are in this together.
The hard cold facts in Canada are;
Canada's health care is under strain, yet we pay regional health care directors well over a million dollers a year here in Calgary, wilst watching our Docters leave Canada for the US, because taxes and deductions on a 6 figure income remove 50% of ones paycheck.
I love my healthcare but it is not free. My American wife was quick to point this out as we looked at our take home pay while searching for a family Doc. and Oby/gen.
As well as a nation we are facing a steep population decline due to shrinking birthrates, while coping with rising costs associated with an aging baby boomer population needing free health care.
Further compounding our problems is much of our natural resource wealth is being actively purchased by foriegn multinationals, predominantly China.
Because Canada is a conferaracy, it's values are very different when we compare values and politics from one province to another. Here in Alberta our values are much more aligned with the non union, independant values of the South. Whereas most residents of southern Ontario and the Maritimes would feel much more at home visiting like minded democrats in Mass. or NY state.
In short mankind tends to herd with likeminded people, and as an Albertan I find much more in common with friends from AZ, TN, SC, TX,and GA than many people I meet in Toronto.
At the end of the day we as neighbours and friends should remember, province by province state by state nation by nation we may not agree on everything, but we are sisters from a common mother, and sink or swim we are in this together.
We vacationed in Canada last summer (great time, great people), and Toronto seemed to be held in VERY low esteem by nearly all Canadians living outside of Toronto.Hagler wrote:...and I thought there was a "Rainbow in Toronto"!What about Younge Street?
Shawn
Noah
Might as well face it, you're addicted to guns . . .
Fairly accurate to a point. I live in the corrupt (according to the author) province of Quebec. I am English (Irish really) speaking primarily. Educated in English etc. Most of my working conversations and writing is in French. Over 75 % of the population is French so that makes sense. The language issue started when a few politicos brought it to the attention of the people that most business was conducted in English and that the French language was in danger of disappearing. The sheep said look at that and laws were brought into place to try and protect their language. ie French education for everyone unless able to prove parents were also educated in English in Canada. If an American or anyone else moves to Quebec and wants to use public education theuy must be educated in French. Sign laws etc. are a joke and when challenged they usually back off and both parties bend a bit. Action is only taken if there is a complaint fron John Q Public. ie annoyed customer.
After many years of this education system, English students leave school very bilingual both written and oral. the French are unilingual in most cases. SURPRISE English students usually end up with the better jobs that have to deal with the rest of the world. The education minister just recently said that French schools must improve their English education to better prepare their students for the real world. Language issues aside, the report is fairly accurate. Unions are very strong but I think interest is lowering when people see jobs disappearing due to lack of sales because of higher cost of labor etc. The health system is lacking people and wait times can be long in non-emergency cases. My mother had a complete hip replacement afer a fall. From the time of the fall to the operation was approx 24 hours. Not too bad in my opinion, and she was well cared for after ie rehab and in home care. Economies are a fickle thing revolving around a multitude of world wide issues and reactions If everyone could predict with any accuracy what would happen, we all would be able to pick the next winning lottery number and not have to worry about the economy. In closing I think we make great neighbours, and we each have something that the other wants or needs and we can continue to excell together as long as we can keep the politicos in line. Good luck to all.
After many years of this education system, English students leave school very bilingual both written and oral. the French are unilingual in most cases. SURPRISE English students usually end up with the better jobs that have to deal with the rest of the world. The education minister just recently said that French schools must improve their English education to better prepare their students for the real world. Language issues aside, the report is fairly accurate. Unions are very strong but I think interest is lowering when people see jobs disappearing due to lack of sales because of higher cost of labor etc. The health system is lacking people and wait times can be long in non-emergency cases. My mother had a complete hip replacement afer a fall. From the time of the fall to the operation was approx 24 hours. Not too bad in my opinion, and she was well cared for after ie rehab and in home care. Economies are a fickle thing revolving around a multitude of world wide issues and reactions If everyone could predict with any accuracy what would happen, we all would be able to pick the next winning lottery number and not have to worry about the economy. In closing I think we make great neighbours, and we each have something that the other wants or needs and we can continue to excell together as long as we can keep the politicos in line. Good luck to all.
Happiness is a comfortable stump on a sunny south facing mountain.
samb and iceman have both hit it about right in my opinion.
I think the article is fairly accurate though well dressed . We as a people are taxed to the straining point. Health care is expensive to drive and now as I grow older I shudder at the prospect of what it can deliver.
Sure it won't force me into remortgage if something needs attention but there are serious wait times because the system is strained to the breaking point. We are very much over governed I shudder to think what part of the population draws its income through tax funds .
I think the article is fairly accurate though well dressed . We as a people are taxed to the straining point. Health care is expensive to drive and now as I grow older I shudder at the prospect of what it can deliver.
Sure it won't force me into remortgage if something needs attention but there are serious wait times because the system is strained to the breaking point. We are very much over governed I shudder to think what part of the population draws its income through tax funds .
What a great article.
This really opened my eyes up to our sister nation in the north. I had figured there was a HUGE tax burden on all of the middle class up there, and was right. How else does a government that over regulates and continues to make promises get its revenue?
We had a very interesting discussion in class today about socialized healthcare. Iterestingly enough, most of us work in the healthcare field as EMTs and see abuse of a government program many times DAILY. Medicare and Medicaid are used because they are available.
Let me repeat that in another way: people know someone else will foot the bill, so they call an ambulance ($400.00,) and go to the ER, ($2,000-$6,000) instead of going to a primary care physician by personal vehicle, (Maybe ($200.00).
The only oposition was from a lesbian girl in class who wants to hunt but will vote for Hitlery, and a German-born lady who lives here. The German lady was touting Germany's healthcare system as being great but at the same time revealing that Germany is made up mostly of immigrants, (a lot of whom are Muslim,) and that "real" Germans are quickly dissappearing. We all decided that to compare Germany to the US was like apples to oranges. Germany is so much smaller than the US and runs so very different;y that there is no comparison. Likewise, France's healthcare system was also scrutinized, and was found to be a leaky bucket not unlike Canada's.
Socialized healthcare WILL be abused. We already have a socialized healthcare system here and it stinks.
Why not force people to provide for themselves? Why not promote the ideals of autonomy?
If the source dries up, people will have to make do in other, more productive ways. Get a darn job. Get your good for nothing kid to drive you to the Dr.'s office when you get a cold instead of having us paramedics maneuver a stretcher around the five cars in your driveway?
This was a good read, and I'm glad someone is speaking their mind. The desire to model the US' healthcare system after Canada's is folly, but gets the social program votes.
This really opened my eyes up to our sister nation in the north. I had figured there was a HUGE tax burden on all of the middle class up there, and was right. How else does a government that over regulates and continues to make promises get its revenue?
We had a very interesting discussion in class today about socialized healthcare. Iterestingly enough, most of us work in the healthcare field as EMTs and see abuse of a government program many times DAILY. Medicare and Medicaid are used because they are available.
Let me repeat that in another way: people know someone else will foot the bill, so they call an ambulance ($400.00,) and go to the ER, ($2,000-$6,000) instead of going to a primary care physician by personal vehicle, (Maybe ($200.00).
The only oposition was from a lesbian girl in class who wants to hunt but will vote for Hitlery, and a German-born lady who lives here. The German lady was touting Germany's healthcare system as being great but at the same time revealing that Germany is made up mostly of immigrants, (a lot of whom are Muslim,) and that "real" Germans are quickly dissappearing. We all decided that to compare Germany to the US was like apples to oranges. Germany is so much smaller than the US and runs so very different;y that there is no comparison. Likewise, France's healthcare system was also scrutinized, and was found to be a leaky bucket not unlike Canada's.
Socialized healthcare WILL be abused. We already have a socialized healthcare system here and it stinks.
Why not force people to provide for themselves? Why not promote the ideals of autonomy?
If the source dries up, people will have to make do in other, more productive ways. Get a darn job. Get your good for nothing kid to drive you to the Dr.'s office when you get a cold instead of having us paramedics maneuver a stretcher around the five cars in your driveway?
This was a good read, and I'm glad someone is speaking their mind. The desire to model the US' healthcare system after Canada's is folly, but gets the social program votes.
A physician I met was living in Canada quit working as a physician and only sees patients out of his home, and for cash. Almost like an 'underground' delivery of health care. He quit his practice and works in some more lucrative job during regular hours.
It's 2025 - "Cutesy Time is OVER....!" [Dan Bongino]
Cost for health insurance family of 5 $220/month. Can choose any family doctor (if you can find one) or specialist one wants. Doctor shortage I believe will be a worldwide problem . In Canada about 50% of medical specialists are 50y.o. or older. By and large only male doctors over 50 work full time. Younger doctors are smart enough to work themselves to death in the fashion of older , traditional doctors. Physicians not treated with same respect they received 30 years or more ago. No worry in Canada of loosing your health care if you lose your job, your employment changes management/ownership, or you develop a chronic, serious illness. It is my understanding this is not the case in U.S.I have workred in both systems. For a doctor the U.S. is better (lots more$$$) for a patient (average or lower income) Canada is far better, but politicians are trying real hard to move toward a U.S. type system to shift costs from Government to individual.For the time being , there is more freedom for the physician to practice as he chooses in Canada than in most situations in U.S.