Emotional About Healthcare

Aerial view of Halifax Citadel National Historic Site of Canada

Laugh until you cry. Weep tears of joy. Sometimes we feel everything at once; emotions are confusing.

Canadian doctors just finished their annual meeting.  Several hundred members of the Canadian Medical Association packed into the Halifax World Trade Centre for 3 days.

We discussed morals, freedom and assisted suicide. We voted against fossil fuels and torture. We called for free prescription drugs and a basic income for everyone on top of current programs. Doctors championed a national seniors’ strategy and a national health-human-resource strategy.

Motions passed with strong support every time.

In addition to paid members, dozens of doctors flew up to 4,000 miles at their own expense to participate as observers. I’ve never seen that before. They spoke during discussions about seniors and assisted dying.

But observers were banned from speaking to main motions, an unusual move. Only delegates were allowed to speak to motions at this meeting. And barely anyone questioned anything.

Emotional About Healthcare

You had to be there. People cheered at removing fossil fuel companies from the CMA reserves (not all MD Financial investments). They pumped both hands in the air and whooped. They moved, seconded and passed big ideas, national plans and central coordination.

In a moment of juvenile cheekiness, I tweeted about the radial left wing at general council. A new grad I know tweeted back:

I love these guys. Meetings are way more fun when they attend. Students, residents and new grads share energy and enthusiasm. They are super smart and bursting with compassion. They always bring fresh thinking. Every association suffers without their input.

Silence

Most doctors at the meeting were either established, or very young: students, residents and early career. Mid-career physicians struggling to pay their staff and run a small medical business were absent or silent.

Doctors apply science, with compassion. Most do not read politics, history, philosophy or economics. They can identify politicians who promote their favourite ideals. But doctors do not know where their big ideas come from philosophically, where they lead, or why anyone would question them.

Earlier in the meeting, members learned of a concerning trend. More and more doctors have declined to renew their memberships. Attendees listened with puzzled frowns. How can we reverse the trend? Why would doctors drop memberships in their national association?

The next few years promise change. I wonder what kind of emotions it will bring?

Every nation gets the government it deserves. – Joseph de Maistre.

photo credit: destinationhalifax.com