Category: Politics

The COVID shutdown was never meant to save lives directly. It was meant to save the medical system, and hopefully, save lives in the process.

Many people sounded the alarm on COVID in January and February. I raised concerns on Feb 2nd and received virtual pats on my head and supercilious smiles.

The Canadian government took the calm and rational approach. That is, do almost nothing.

Planeloads of passengers continued to pour in from countries at the epicentre of the pandemic. We pointed at America, stuck out our tongues, and made funny faces at the orange man, when he banned foreign travel.

COVID Shutdown

When we finally decided to do something, we closed down the whole country. Families now get fined for rollerblading in empty parking lots.

We had asked government to do what it cannot: save us all.

Hospitals and medical clinics have had time to develop new treatment paths, screening clinics, and to ramp up virtual medicine. We are now ready for nuclear fallout, the zombie apocalypse, and World War Z, let alone a major respiratory outbreak.

Treatment Worse Than Disease?

Our too late, and possibly too aggressive, response is now causing harm. Our system could barely cope with the long waits for care, before the shut down. Patients were already dying waiting for care (see here also). Continue reading “Time to End the COVID Shutdown”

My COVID-19 coronavirus article in Epoch Times, Mar 17.

The federal government can’t win with the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus**, commonly known as the novel coronavirus. Canada is today where Italy was 10 days ago.

The feds have bungled a perfect opportunity to demonstrate the best reasons why people might like big government: a coordinated response, bulk purchasing of necessary items, unified messaging, and national unity.

For much of the crisis, Ottawa seems to have put all its focus on appearing calm and rational—so calm, in fact, that many of us have wondered whether our leaders were asleep at the switch.

What could have been done better? Continue reading “Coronavirus — Asleep at the Switch in a Time of Crisis”

Politicians have chased the medicare merry-go-round for decades. Each party pours on money or passes new legislation.

In 2004, Prime Minster Paul Martin’s Liberal government aimed to fix wait times. So it threw $41.3 billion dollars into a Health Accord.

The Harper Conservatives kept Martin’s Accord. But Harper slowed increases in transfer payments to 3%, after the Accord ran out.

While in opposition, Justin Trudeau railed against Harper’s handling of medicare. But after the election, PM Trudeau’s Liberals decided that Harper’s 3% was wise after all.

For all the bluster, political parties act the same. They either maintain the speed of the merry-go-round, or they give it a push and make it spin faster.

Private Practice, Public Payment

Canadians love free health care and hate the idea of bureaucrats controlling the care we receive. Canadians believe that doctors should provide whatever care we need (private delivery), and the government should pay for it (public payment).

Medicare calls it public payment and private delivery. Patients get free care, and doctors get to provide care based on science, not politics. Doctors and hospitals are privately owned businesses.

Dr. C. David Naylor, historian and health expert, captured the relationship in his book, “Private Practice, Public Payment” (1986). The message was clear: Canada is not socialist. We simply have state insurance, with private delivery, of medically necessary care. The government promises to pay and not meddle.

The trouble is that no one sees it that way anymore. All political parties believe that if the public pays, then it should drive. Government pays, so government should be in control. Continue reading “Are We All Socialist When It Comes to Medicare?”