There has never been a one-tier health system in Canada
Nipawin - November 15, 2000 - by: Mario deSantis
public and private	The present electoral campaign has been focusing on healthcare and every party leader has
	been supporting the one-tier health care system, while at the same time holding different
	definition of a two-tier health care system. From an overall point of view, a two-tier health
	care system is one within which health services can be received from both public and private
	providers.
not fully funded	There is really not a common definition of a two-tier system, and as a consequence the
	bickering among the leaders about supporting the one-tier system rather than a two-tier
	system is very confusing(1). No matter what our leaders are saying, it is a fact that health
	services are not fully funded by the governments(2). We pay for drugs, for ambulance
	services, we have private insurance for supplemental health coverage, we pay for home
	care services, we pay for dental care, and we pay for nursing home services. Therefore,
	there is a bit of confusion in health care about defining public and private health care,
	and this confusion becomes more acute as our provincial premiers instead to come up
	with an overall redefinition of public health care funding, they ask for more money from
	Ottawa, and that is all!
definition of a two-tier	You don't fix health care just with money. Certainly money is important, but what about
	redefining public health care and getting rid of the demented mentality of a powerful
	segment of our health care leadership? How in the world we can support a one-tier system,
	when we still have demented health care leaders telling us what to do, and when we don't
	have a consensus on what the definition of a two-tier health system is?
saviour of medicare	This is why Mr. Jean Chretien has just withdrawn a TV ad charging the Canadian Alliance
	of supporting a two-tier system(3). Our over aggressive Mr. Jean Chretien was being
	afraid of being sued by both the Canadian Alliance and the Government of Alberta, and in
	pulling out the ad he has implicitly admitted that we have currently a two-tier system.
	However, portraying himself as the saviour of medicare, Mr. Chretien has threatened to
	withhold health-care money from Alberta and Quebec unless they stop allowing patients
	to pay privately for high-tech diagnostic services that are insured under medicare.
bully and a liar	Mr. Chretien is a hypocrite, and more people are following the example of Joe Clark when
	he first labeled Jean Chretien a liar. In particular, Alberta Health Minister Gary Mar has
	stated "I think the Prime Minister is a bully and a liar(4)."
examples	I will continue to do researches in health care, but at this time I want to list below some
	current examples of private health care, and we can either laugh or cry together:
Nipawin	-Warren Lindberg, a client of the North East Health District in Nipawin, has
	written a letter to The StarPhoenix (published on November 9, 2000)
	complaining that until September he was paying for hospital care $1,036 per
	month, and that beginning October 1, his monthly fee has been increased by 50%
	to $1,500 a month.
Regina	-The $50-million overrun for the closure of the Plains Health Centre in Regina.
SHIN	-The $40-million disgrace for the establishment of the Saskatchewan Health
	Information Network.
Manitoba	-Health Canada auditors in 1997 found a 'reasonable basis' to suspect fraud in
	the financial practices at a $34-million native alcohol and substance-abuse
	program run by the Sagkeeng Solvent Treatment Centre in southern
	Manitoba(5). The government-financed centre began operations in 1991. Today,
	the staff of this centre has been taking a week-long 'professional development'
	cruise in the Western Caribbean at an estimated cost of $115,000.
Toronto	-Saudi Arabian royals used the King's Health Centre in Toronto as a private
	hospital(6). The centre was founded by Ron and Loren Koval. The Kovals are
	now wanted over allegations they stole $100-million from the King's Health
	Centre.
--------------References/endnotes:
	List of political and economics articles
1.	Definition, National Post, November 14, 2000
2. -	Misleading to call system fully public, Richard Foot, with files from Tom Arnold, National Post, November 14, 2000
3.	Two-tier is here, National Post, November 14, 2000
4. -	Chrétien threatens medicare sanctions, CAMPBELL CLARK and BRIAN LAGHI, November 14, 2000
5.	Native clinic's records disappear, DAVID ROBERTS, The Globe and Mail, November 1, 2000
6. -	Saudis used clinic as private hospital, Chris Eby and Paul Waldie, November 2, 2000, National Post
	The illustration at the top of today's page shows from left to right : Prime Minister Jean Chretien, NDP leader Alexa McDonough, PC leader Joe Clark, PC candidate for Prince Albert David Orchard, Federal Minister of Health Alan Rock, Federal minister of culture Shiela Copps and Canadian Alliance Leader Stockwell Day.