Those Damn Canadians!!

I’m exhausted. I really am. I have been trumpeting the sounds and needs of health care reform in this country for the past month. I’ve argued, talked, debated, laughed, loved, and even socialized about it. Wait, I better not say “socialized.” I might get protestors at my door.
I’ve heard a lot of arguments about this proposed reformed. All of them are concerned about how we will pay for the program. It’s a legitimate question. All of them have also expressed concern for Obama raising our taxes in order to pay for it. Quite simply, the president has said he will not raise taxes on the middle class in order to pay for health care reform. Those who believe him might be put at ease. Those who don’t probably have a Sarah Palin For President 2012 button pinned to their lapel already. There’s no convincing them.
Another argument I’ve heard is the fear of socialistic medicine. This one is fun to me. I’ve heard from Americans far and near about how bad Canadians have it. They wait an average of 20 hours to see a doctor. They have to wait months to see a specialist. They die before they get the help they need. Really? Is that why there is a mass exodus from Canada into the United States?
I decided to do something different. I have friends and family members who live in Canada. I asked them about their health care and gave them all a chance to blast it out of the water as one of the worst they had ever seen. Here’s how it went.
I first asked my aunt about it. She and her husband have lived in Toronto for 30 years. I e-mailed her my questions and here is what she said:

“Hey Kurt, glad to hear from you. I hope all is well. To answer your question, yes I love my socialized health care. I have been blessed with three children and we have been through a lot medically. Bill had his heart attack four years ago and Julie was diagnosed with type I diabetes.
The longest we ever waited in a waiting room was about two hours. The longest we ever waited to see a specialist was about a week to 10 days. When Bill needed surgery following his heart attack he had it done within 48 hours. Since Julie is still a minor she doesn’t wait at all. Our system puts the elderly and children first. They usually don’t wait very long to see anyone.
I still laugh at Americans who look at our system and make fun of it. Americans spend WAY more than we do for health care and it’s still crappy. My taxes haven’t gone up for health care in five years and it’s still very manageable. Besides, doesn’t every American want to move to Canada whenever they elect a president they don’t like? Lol.”

Ok, so maybe you think, “She’s your aunt. You guys think alike. Of course she’s for socialism you commie, pinko bastard family.” That’s a bit harsh, but I hear it a lot. Well then how about trying this one from my friend Jason. He grew up in America and moved to Toronto last October for a new job. Here’s what he had to say.

“Dude you know me. I hate politics. Why you ask me this shit? To answer your questions yes I think it works fine. I haven’t lived here very long but I was surprised by my employer explaining the system to me. I always heard Canada hated their health care system. I’ve met one person who hates it out of the hundreds I’ve met.
I remember asking my employer about health insurance. They laughed at me and told me it comes out of my taxes. I didn’t quite understand. Last winter I got the flu and went to a doctor. I waited until payday so I could afford to pay for it. This is where my stupidity kicked in. I didn’t really understand what socialized medicine was about until they told me I didn’t have to pay for anything. I waited two extra days to see the doctor because I wanted to make sure I could pay for it. Dumb me. I could’ve just walked right in the day I wanted to see him.
I didn’t wait very long. I think maybe 10 minutes to see him.
When are you going to move here? I miss you man.”

I can hear my critics now, “But Kurt, you still hang around liberal people and influence them with your questions.”
Sigh. Ok, how about an Internet friend I’ve never met who just had a baby? I will post this verbatim so you can see my questions and answers during a chat session I had on Facebook. I’ll even leave the misspelled words in for authenticity.

Kurt
Can I ask you a quick question?
Besides that one?

9:51pmChristine
sure

9:52pmKurt
Do you absolutely 110% hate your health care system in Canada?

9:53pmChristine
no i love it, what would i do without it, would of cost me at least 40 grand to have my baby as i had a high risk pregnancy and had 5x the normal amount of checkups
i have surgery once a year...all covered

9:53pmKurt
Sigh.
Thanks.

9:53pmChristine
doctors appointments for myself and my son all the time, all covered

9:54pmKurt
I know. It's great. Do you wait 20 hours in a waiting room?

9:55pmChristine
no, the longest i wait is a couple hours
and when pregnant i went right in
and babies go right in
the only people that wait long are ones that go up with something common and not that important, like colds or flu-unless they are kids pr elders

9:56pmKurt
I have relatives who live in Toronto and they love hearing about Americans argue Canada's health care system. To quote my aunt: "They act like they know what we are all about and they have no idea."

9:57pmChristine
ya i dont understand whats bad about free?

9:57pmKurt
Because it makes us (gasp) a SOCIALIST country.

9:57pmChristine
you can pick your doctors, your specialists..whats the problem? you have to wait a bit longer? but you save soo mcuh, its a good trade.

9:57pmKurt
Which it doesn't, that's what the lunatics think.
I agree with you 110%.
Thank you for helping me prove my point.

9:58pmChristine
lol no proble, ttul

Then we had this little exchange when she commented on my status message.

Christine Marie Pullen
You Americans are whack! Sorry but most of you are.
There is nothing wrong with having universal health care. It would do nothing but benefit your country as a whole. You are only as strong as your weakest citzens. You guys are all so PROUD and STRONG. But your sicker...you die younger...your POOR!
Yesterday at 10:04pm • Delete

Kurt Jarvis
Oh yeah, well, we stole hockey from you guys! Take that!
Yesterday at 10:09pm • Delete

Christine Marie Pullen
Ya, but we can afford to go to hockey games here.
Yesterday at 10:10pm • Delete

She really got me on that last statement. Maybe they can afford it because they are not pumping money into a health care system they can’t afford. Hmmmm…
So there you have it. Three different perspectives on the God awful Canadian health care. I only hope we don’t become one of these countries. It would just be horrendous.