Governments in Canada routinely deny essential medical care in our "public health care system".

[CdnFox]

19 minutes ago, I am Groot said:

I have a family doctor, but he's not very useful. So I pay several thousand a year to join a clinic where I can get much more attentive care and an appointment within 24 hours.

My doctor is pretty good, but I know there's many who feel theirs isn't and there's very little choice

The weird thing is if you need something like a knee replacement you can't go to a clinic in British Columbia and pay to have it done. That would be illegal. But you can pay one of several clinics in Alberta and go there and get it done. And albertans can come to British Columbia and get it done. As long as it's not at a clinic in the province in which you live. I'm aware of a number of people who have done just this rather than wait the extensive wait times

Our system is completely messed up and it's become this bizarre sacred cow.  France does a P/P blend and it works brilliantly and they're not the only ones. 

It's true that medicine is provincial and not the end of the day it's up to the various provinces but the federal government should signal that is completely open to the idea of effective public private models should provinces wish to pursue that

[Legato]

15 minutes ago, CdnFox said:

Our system is completely messed up and it's become this bizarre sacred cow.  France does a P/P blend and it works brilliantly and they're not the only ones. 

 

I'm in Ontario. Couple of weeks ago I posted about having to wait about 12 hours to be told I needed "emergency" surgery (ruptured appendix).

Last month my optician said I need cataract removal. Was given an appointment to see an eye doctor who said no, wait a couple of years and then make another appointment.

Went to a private eye clinic who wanted both arms, legs and two tickets for a Maple Leafs Stanley cup game.

 

 

[eyeball]

On 11/30/2025 at 2:41 PM, CdnFox said:

LOL  10 dollars says you claim you've been saying that for decades now  

The evidence you cited says it too.

On 11/30/2025 at 2:41 PM, CdnFox said:

100 dollars says you're furious that i'm right and you're trying to distract from what a failure our socialized health care is because admitting it hurts your tribe's feelings  

LMAO!

You're on. 

On 11/30/2025 at 2:41 PM, CdnFox said:

1000 dollars says you'd be fine with NOBODY getting health care as long as the rich didn't get healthcare last.   

A loonie says you're loony.

[CdnFox]

1 hour ago, eyeball said:

The evidence you cited says it too.

That does not appear to be the case, but I guarantee you're going to say it whether it's true or not, and the smart money is going with not  

 

Quote

LMAO!

I accept your admission of defeat  

Quote

You're on. 

Will you be paying in cash or bitcoin?  

Quote

A loonie says you're loony.

So what you're saying is I was right and now your big mad about it  

[eyeball]

1 hour ago, CdnFox said:

That does not appear to be the case, but I guarantee you're going to say it whether it's true or not, and the smart money is going with not

Oh it's true. You posted it in your thread on lower life expectancies. Look for the word evidence in the article you cited.

1 hour ago, CdnFox said:

So what you're saying is I was right and now your big mad about it.

Nope. Big amused.

[CdnFox]

4 hours ago, eyeball said:

Oh it's true. You posted it in your thread on lower life expectancies. Look for the word evidence in the article you cited.

 

well then you can quote it right

Lying again, you're just the worst.   

Quote

Nope. Big amused.

Everyone can hear you gritting your teeth from here  

It's pretty easy to tell when you're getting pissed off   

Big amused my ass LOL

[eyeball]

11 hours ago, CdnFox said:

well then you can quote it right

Sure but you'd never believe it. Even you can't tell the difference between your shit and Shinola.

[CdnFox]

56 minutes ago, eyeball said:

Sure but you'd never believe it. Even you can't tell the difference between your shit and Shinola.

LOL oh dear, you ARE getting angry    So in other words you're full of shit as usual and you're big mad for having been called on it   

 

[I am Groot]

On 12/1/2025 at 5:29 PM, Legato said:

I'm in Ontario. Couple of weeks ago I posted about having to wait about 12 hours to be told I needed "emergency" surgery (ruptured appendix).

Last month my optician said I need cataract removal. Was given an appointment to see an eye doctor who said no, wait a couple of years and then make another appointment.

Went to a private eye clinic who wanted both arms, legs and two tickets for a Maple Leafs Stanley cup game.

My doctor (in Ontario} decided I needed cataract surgery about 15 years or so back. I had it done within a couple of months. I wonder what has changed since then.

[Army Guy]

On 11/28/2025 at 10:19 AM, Barquentine said:

If you're going to cherry-pick the bad, you should also cherry-pick the good.

I'm seeing a cardiologist tomorrow after a 15 month wait for a non-urgent issue. That's too long.

But when my colleague had a mild heart attack he was tended to immediately and saw a cardiologist the next morning.

I'm ok with being put on hold so people with critical problems can be cared for.

Every country's medical system is under severe strain, not just ours.

That's just the way it is, and if anyone has a real solution, step forward and win the Nobel prize for medicine.

After my doctor retired in 2020 I just got a new one in 2024. But during those 4 years I got excellent care at walk-in clinics. Just had to wait in line for an hour or two.

I don't like the excuse everyone's health care system is overwhelmed...it is an excuse to just accept it like there is nothing we can do....

Not everyone receives the same level of care here in NB while i had no doctor, i had to wait upto 15 hours to get my medication renewed , that happened every 90 days....5 People have died waiting in the waiting rooms here in NB, you take your chances everyone is over worked and stressed out ....

[Barquentine]

11 hours ago, Army Guy said:

.it is an excuse to just accept it like there is nothing we can do

If you have a solution you'll be a national hero. Aging population, inflationary pressure, the ongoing expansion of everything in the medical field...I'd  love to know the answer.

[blackbird]

On 12/1/2025 at 2:29 PM, Legato said:

I'm in Ontario. Couple of weeks ago I posted about having to wait about 12 hours to be told I needed "emergency" surgery (ruptured appendix).

About 20 years ago I went into the ER with a pain in the area of my appendix.  It was evening and the ER doctor sent me home and told me to come back tomorrow.  I went back the next morning and a different doctor who was a surgeon said I had a ruptured appendix and would require surgery immediately within a few hours.  He did the surgery and it was successful.  But why was I sent home the evening before with a ruptured appendix?

[Army Guy]

6 hours ago, Barquentine said:

If you have a solution you'll be a national hero. Aging population, inflationary pressure, the ongoing expansion of everything in the medical field...I'd  love to know the answer.

Well we can start by funding it properly....invest more into our over whelmed hospitals and clinics and their staff. bring in private health care services, reduce immigration, and other stressors that produce what we have now. I'm sure the medical professional would be able to give you a long list of what is required to improve or over haul our health care system...But for some reason we can't even ask those questions because we don't want to hear the solutions...as it costs money, like anything else in Canada we half a$$ it..

[herbie]

I'm sitting here recovering from surgery.
Last week I suddenly got hit with violent chills, woke up unable to move in a heap of shit and puke, I managed to flip the iPhone off the table and autocall 911S
Was in the hospital in 20 mins,and they ambulanced my to the regional one in hours. Septic shock. An entire team of doctors, nurses, cardiologists, surgeons and lab techs around me 24/7 while I was wired up like an octopus. Took out my appendix as it was about to burst too.
Even had a social worker trying to find me clothes and a ride home 3 hours away. A week in hospital, 6 hours in ambulances.
Have a bagful of meds and now I'm just puttering about until my strength is back. My cost? Total of $20.74, the 'co-pay' as I have Blue Cross on my pension, otherwise it would be $0.

Let's keep ONLY mentioning the things that go wrong and acting like it's impossible to fix any of them. Like good Can't-servatives.

 

[eyeball]

18 minutes ago, herbie said:

Let's keep ONLY mentioning the things that go wrong and acting like it's impossible to fix any of them. Like good Can't-servatives.

I saw my GP last week to ask about worsening back and joint pain. She advised referring me to a specialist and said drop by the hospital for some x-rays to get the ball rolling.  I stopped by the hospital while on my errands the other day...I was in and out in less than 1/2 an hour. 

I'll be taking my wife to Vancouver shortly in the New Year for follow up abdominal surgery, to tuck away a hernia that developed. 3 months sooner than she was told to expect.

It seems as good as private healthcare. Its weird. 

[Nefarious Banana]

43 minutes ago, herbie said:

I'm sitting here recovering from surgery.
Last week I suddenly got hit with violent chills, woke up unable to move in a heap of shit and puke, I managed to flip the iPhone off the table and autocall 911S
Was in the hospital in 20 mins,and they ambulanced my to the regional one in hours. Septic shock. An entire team of doctors, nurses, cardiologists, surgeons and lab techs around me 24/7 while I was wired up like an octopus. Took out my appendix as it was about to burst too.
Even had a social worker trying to find me clothes and a ride home 3 hours away. A week in hospital, 6 hours in ambulances.
Have a bagful of meds and now I'm just puttering about until my strength is back. My cost? Total of $20.74, the 'co-pay' as I have Blue Cross on my pension, otherwise it would be $0.

Let's keep ONLY mentioning the things that go wrong and acting like it's impossible to fix any of them. Like good Can't-servatives.

 

You're very lucky, speedy recovery.

[blackbird]

20 hours ago, herbie said:

Let's keep ONLY mentioning the things that go wrong and acting like it's impossible to fix any of them. Like good Can't-servatives.

Glad you made it through with good care and doing well now.

Nobody said it is impossible to fix the problems.  But there are many serious problems which we already listed a lot of.

I don't see any easy solution on the horizon because it is government run system and I think they made it illegal to have a public-private partnership.  You are against it and against Conservatives who see that as a solution.  Therefore there is no solution really because the public system already takes billions of dollars and it just doesn't have enough money.   

Where are you going to get the thousands of doctors that are needed for the millions of people that don't have a family doctor?  Where are you going to get all the specialists and nurses that are needed to eliminate the thousands of people on waiting lists, a lot of whom will die waiting?

The government doesn't have billions of dollars more and so can't fix the system unless it is changed to a different system that would bring in billions of dollars.  The only way that could happen is by replacing the existing system and allow people that could afford it to buy private health insurance and receive private care.  That would bring in billions of dollars more into the health care system.  It would take a lot of pressure off a struggling public health care system.

The way it is now, people with loads of money can fly to another country and get fast specialized medical care.  So instead of that, why not have a public-private care arrangement and let people that can afford it put billions of dollars more into the system.  Everyone would still be guaranteed to receive health care regardless of their finances.   Germany does it and it seems to work.

 

Edited December 4, 2025 by blackbird

[I am Groot]

2 hours ago, herbie said:

Let's keep ONLY mentioning the things that go wrong and acting like it's impossible to fix any of them. Like good Can't-servatives.

The reason we mention all the things that go wrong, like us being worst in the OECD for wait times, is because we want them fixed. I'm glad you got treated well. But we all know it could have been, in many jurisdictions, hours before an ambulance arrived. 

And us CAN-servatives have mentioned what we want done to fix things Double the number of medical school and nursing school admissions, just to start, and the funding for hospital residencies and nursing co-ops, as well. Increase the number of medical technicians too, while buying more MRIs and CT scanners. Then analyse the best working systems in Europe and shift our system over to be more like theirs. 

[CdnFox]

11 hours ago, Barquentine said:

If you have a solution you'll be a national hero. Aging population, inflationary pressure, the ongoing expansion of everything in the medical field...I'd  love to know the answer.

It's not complicated. 

Control population growth to match growth in medical capacity. 

Introduce Private/public blended solutions such as those which have been wildly succcessful in france 

Restore full federal funding OR restore the collection of taxes for that purpose to the provinces. 

Done. 

Other places do this right.  we do it wrong and it shows. 

[herbie]

2 hours ago, Nefarious Banana said:

You're very lucky, speedy recovery.

It's not luck, it's normal.
NEWS is what isn't normal, that's why you hear about it. "Dog Bites Man" doesn't make the news.

Know what 99% of the problem is? Just like every agency - POLICY. Got my finger pricked and blood pressure taken every 2 hours for a week even though it never changed. Hot asked my name, birthdate and if I knew where I was by every nurse, every time they visited as if I might've gone demented in the last 5 minutes. Sent shit to pharmacies by FAX even though 75% of staff was too young to know what a fcking fax machine was or how to use one. Ancient tech to create  excuses rather than results. Time wastage.

BTW hope they suspect sepsis if you go in - such a major issue now you won't wait. You'll see staff RUN.

[Barquentine]

18 hours ago, herbie said:

I'm sitting here recovering from surgery.

My wife had a similar situation 2 yrs ago. Her appendix. She got the same  immediate care she needed.

Seems like we have 2 systems: the real one, which despite its problems, works when it's needed, and: the right-wing imaginary one, that's apocalyptically dis-functional.

It's just raining. The sky is not falling!

[Barquentine]

14 hours ago, herbie said:

Know what 99% of the problem is? Just like every agency - POLICY. Got my finger pricked and blood pressure taken every 2 hours for a week even though it never changed. Hot asked my name, birthdate and if I knew where I was by every nurse, every time they visited as if I might've gone demented in the last 5 minutes. Sent shit to pharmacies by FAX even though 75% of staff was too young to know what a fcking fax machine was or how to use one.

There's good reasons for those policies. Most medical errors happen during change-overs, between staff, during shift changes, etc... Simple identifying questions stop a lot of errors from happening.

When you're really sick, tests like BP and blood are great indicators of your condition. Would you really rather have them not check on you?

And just because a technology is old doesn' mean it's bad. Faxes work fine.

[Barquentine]

16 hours ago, CdnFox said:

It's not complicated. 

Control population growth to match growth in medical capacity. 

Introduce Private/public blended solutions such as those which have been wildly succcessful in france 

Restore full federal funding OR restore the collection of taxes for that purpose to the provinces. 

Done. 

Other places do this right.  we do it wrong and it shows. 

I see why you like PeePee so much. Simple soltions for simple minds.

You think even if we cut immigration to zero, that would fix the medical system? How long would that take? What would that do to tax bases? What would that do to employment and wages?

Sure try some private care. Then don't b!tch about the costs. Or the added problems to public care. Are you ok with good health care for the rich but not the poor?  But seriously, try it out. If it helps everybody I'll sign on.

Last time I checked the provinces do collect taxes for health care and other things.

[Legato]

1 hour ago, Barquentine said:

My wife had a similar situation 2 yrs ago. Her appendix. She got the same  immediate care she needed.

Seems like we have 2 systems: the real one, which despite its problems, works when it's needed, and: the right-wing imaginary one, that's apocalyptically dis-functional.

It's just raining. The sky is not falling!

I posted this earlier.

A few weeks ago I had a ruptured appendix, 12 hours in the hospital for them to discover I needed "emergency" surgery.

4 hours sat alone in a corridor until someone passed by and asked "what are you doing here".

Arrived at the hospital at 3.30 am, went in for surgery at 6.15 pm.

So you can stick your imaginary BS where the sun don't shine.

The aftercare was excellent.

 

[Goddess]

20 minutes ago, Legato said:

I posted this earlier.

A few weeks ago I had a ruptured appendix, 12 hours in the hospital for them to discover I needed "emergency" surgery.

4 hours sat alone in a corridor until someone passed by and asked "what are you doing here".

Arrived at the hospital at 3.30 am, went in for surgery at 6.15 pm.

So you can stick your imaginary BS where the sun don't shine.

The aftercare was excellent.

 

It's human nature, sadly, that until something happens to YOU, you can pretend it doesn't exist and call everyone liars when it happens to THEM.

Last summer, my daughter got home at 1 am and went downstairs to say Hi, how was your evening, glad you're home.

Half-asleep, I missed a step and fell, dislocating my shoulder, but I thought I had broken my arm.

She drove me to the closest hospital, which looked like a war-zone.  Homeless people and junkies sprawled all over the waiting room.  It was filthy - garbage all over. It stunk.

Got checked in and waited 4 hours.  I was the only real patient in there.  Every 20 mins or so, a nurse would come out, try to rouse one of the junkies and ask if they wanted to see a doctor.  They would barely wake up "Ya, ya, ya, I wanna see a doctor."

My daughter went over and talked to the security guard "This doesn't even seem like a hospital."  He said, "It's not.  It's a homeless shelter.  If you can stand the pain, go home and wait until the other hospital opens at 9 am."  The other hospital is no longer open at night, I assume for the reasons I saw at this hospital - homeless and junkies and filth.

I did get in fairly quickly the next day - x-ray and sling.  I did dislocate my shoulder, but it had popped back in on its own.

I've never taken medical advice from a security guard before, but he was right.

Healthcare in Canada is definitely NOT the rosy picture the Libs and their supporters say it is.  

Parents of B.C. boy who died after five-hour hospital wait speak out | Vancouver Sun

BC Conservatives demand answers after 17-year-old boy died

Ontario couple whose teenage son died after 8-hour wait in ER calls for law reform | CBC News

Canada wait-list deaths: 23,000 Canadians died, report finds