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Dear American neighbours,

I am the Race Director for the longest-running triathlon in Canada. I have been involved in the organization for most of the its 30 years.

I am living a very full, joyful, active life. Yet, if it were not for our Canadian Health Care system I could be living a painful, isolated life in a wheel chair or possibly already dead from prolonged use of addictive painkillers.

Why? In 1992 and ‘93 I had hip replacement surgeries because of arthritis; 2003, both knees replaced and one hip redone; 2006 an elbow replacement– all done when they were needed.

Retired and living on a pension, I might have managed to bankrupt myself to pay for one surgery—but six?? Not possible!

Now when I walk through the scanner at airports, see the astonishment as all the signals keep beeping, I feel deep gratitude for the health care system that has made my active life possible.

Sumitra McMurchy, age 81

Victoria, BC

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Dear American neighbours,

I am a late 50’s woman with some chronic health problems.  However, knowing that I am covered no matter where I travel to in Canada allows me to enjoy my life substantially.  I live in one province, where I see a family doctor, and get treatment.  I have a specialist whom I choose to keep in another province for my tricky knees. 

There is no problem with communication, referrals, charges and treatment – it happens promptly, transparently and respectfully. My specialist is in a clinic where I can see other specialists with no wait, immediately, and not extra charge – I saw a physio, a nurse and my specialist all in one visit, in and out in 2 hours, treatment, recommendations for follow up fittings for new equipment all done.

I have gone through periods of earning a high wage, and living on unemployment insurance.  My concerns about my health care didn’t change depending on my income – I knew I would get the same type of treatment. I was covered! My treatment has kept me from surgery for over a decade.  I do have to pay for the medication, but the rest is free.

I count one of my greatest assets is my Canadian citizenship with access to a terrific health care system. Take a deep breath, and join us – safe, secure, healthy!!!!!

Penni Burrell

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Dear American neighbours,

Allow me a comment on the tragic misinformation now being circulated concerning the Canadian Health Care System…

When I see the U.S. being subjected to the fallacies and the hypes, there is one thing strikes me as obvious: the U.S. is now subjected to the same type of politically motivated propaganda that Iron Curtain Countries were once had to suffer from.

In the same way that “The Voice of America” attempted to convey a truer representation of the facts, it is clear that the roles are now reversed and U.S. citizens, repeatedly brainwashed with misrepresentations, are in dire need for an equivalent.

Rabble.ca may well be this antidote to corporate propaganda.

Mark Twain used to say something that is highly relevant for a situation such as this: “It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.”

U.S citizens should certainly not be fooled in saying that they have a multitude of media to choose from, as they are certainly not independent of their corporate masters. I will only give a quote, again from the great Twain: “If you don’t read the newspapers, you are uninformed. If you do read the newspapers, you are misinformed.”

May America finally know who its true friends are!

Paul-André Larose, Ph.D.

Oshawa, Ontario

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Dear American neighbours,

I am a dual citizen, both Canadian and American…  I have been living in the U.S. since the beginning of the year 2000.  In Canada up until I retired, I was a Lecturer at a prestigious university for 22 years part-time, a Management Consultant since 1962 and Senior Management Systems Analyst and Head of Management Systems for several years in the 1980s.
 
While in Canada, I had excellent health and health care, my family was well taken care of and both my parents lived well into their late 70’s and were also well cared for.
 
Since moving to the states, as a single individual I dated a gal in Texas, the horror story I would have to tell in that regard would make you sick.  I moved to Oklahoma and my significant other in OK contracted Lung Cancer, she died because of negligence, late diagnostics even though she went to the doctor weekly.
 
I have since remarried, a woman 19 years younger.  We have been married for 4 years, since the beginning she has been taking between 8 and 10 pills daily by Doctor’s prescription.  A lot of what ails her, I believe could have been better treated in the past.  We have poor insurance coverage and can’t afford better.
 
I am 67 years old, in excellent health, have never had a prescription that I needed to take on a regular basis. I believe I owe my good health to my Canadian Education and Health care.  I could choose my doctor, hospital if I had needed one and never witnessed anything as horrible as I have seen in this U.S.A.
 
Sincerely,

Morrie Levy

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Dear American neighbours,

I bought a acreage in the countryside of Ferndale Washington in mid 1990’s with the intent to retire there as it was very pretty and easy access to Vancouver B.C. for business. I had a US resident alien card as my wife is an American from Seattle.
 
I had had a stroke a year before that I recovered from completely over a few hours. As a result of me having had a stroke I was unable at any price to get Medical Insurance in the United States.
 
I sold the property and moved back to British Columbia where medical coverage is universal and I did not have to be concerned I had had a stroke as I was fully covered.
 
The Canadian medical system which is a single payer system, removes any concern of getting sick, and getting full medical coverage. This in itself is a big load off one’s shoulders.
 
I recently got a Cat scan as my doctor wanted  an update as the last one was in the mid 1990’s. As I had moved to a small town on B.C.s Sunshine Coast our local hospital does not have a cat scan.  ( we have had a drive to raise funds for one and we will have one early 2010 ).
 
In the mean time I had to go on a ferry boat to Vancouver Island to a hospital in Comox. Even though my cat scan was an elective I had only to wait 1 week.  The medical system also paid for the ferry to Comox and back. No out of pocket expenses for me.
 
The local hospital has me come in for preventive diabetes courses once a year so that I avoid getting diabetes.
 
I want to let all Americans know that a single payer system is much more efficient, cheaper to run, and removes all hardship from getting sick. There is no comparison!

Rollad Miller