Tory -- trying very hard to lose the election

Just after the massive success of his religious school funding program was not endorsed by over 70% of Ontarions in a recent survey, Tory has decided to change his strategy -- he has decided to raise the issue of parallel provision of private healthcare in Ontario as part of his non-election strategy. I think he has another winner.

I think everyone is well aware that these private services are being well provided to all Canadians by our neighbours to the south. Why mess with success? Contrary to public perception it is just not the well heeled, Belinda Stronach comes to mind, that are availing themselves to private healthcare but also the average joe is driving to Buffalo for their knee or hip replacement surgery.

The prices from I understand are reasonable -- fitting on credit cards. The question is why are people doing this considering the enviable state of Canadian Healthcare -- why are people spending their money south of the border -- do they just like the American's so much? More than likely it is the 2 to 3 year process most Canadian must endure to get through the Ontario system -- referrals to specialist who are not taking appointments.

A former colleague of mine went to Buffalo for knee replacement surgery -- he was a practically disabled but could not get a firm date for a replacement in Ontario -- he voted with his chequebook.

But seriously folks in Canada and especially in Ontario you dare not talk about private delivery of healthcare services -- it is political suicide (lets keep those elephants in the closet where they belong). That way we can continue to extol the virtue of our truly public system, apart from those pieces that are already delivered by private firms, and tell the Americans they are philistines for operating a private healthcare system, while still availing ourselves to it. How Canadian!

In truth I think we can learn alot from places like France, Germany and the Netherlands in public/private delivery of Healthcare -- but we first have to get over the hating the American thing.