Canada's Health Care and Destructive Politics
Canada is under a federal system of government whereby, the ten provinces and territories have absolute control over their daily lives and the federal government in Ottawa takes care of the bigger picture such as national defence, foreign affairs, natural resources and aboriginal people’s rights.
Health is also a provincial responsibility guided by the federal principle of basic free health for all. You suffer a heart attack at work. Paramedics zoom in and ask who you are. They punch on their ipads and indeed, you are a Canadian citizen living in that province. They get to the hospital, provide your health insurance number and the hospital provides the necessary service to save your life. No cost, because taxes were deducted from your salary all these years.
But politics seem to be rearing its ugly head on health care. The ruling Liberal Party - although precariously - has cut a deal with the NDP. They have a scratch-my-back-I’ll scratch-yours arrangement which has resulted in a pharma care deal. Canadians will get free contraceptives and diabetes drugs. Alberta, one of the provinces ruled by the Conservative Party, said no can’t do. We will opt out of that pharma care arrangement.
It’s a dilemma. That is why Canadians need some answers from Pierre Poilievre, federal leader of the Conservative Party. Canadians understand the federal system of government and provinces’ right to opt out of federal decisions. Quebec is a case in point. It has its own Quebec Pension Plan.
Poilievre needs to explain to voters how the balancing act works. Does he support Alberta’s right to opt out of the pharma care deal and other Alberta initiatives to leave Canada and become the 51st U.S. state?
Nonqaba waka Msimang
Executive Blogger
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