Stephen Harper is an enemy of Canada

[ollie]

What is the municipality of Chatham doing to attract doctors?

Instead of clamouring for the fed gov't to "fix things" how about using some of that Libertarian spirit to see what can be done at the grass roots level to attract doctors to the area.

[Kanada Kev]

Guys you make it sound like Chatham is in the sticks in the middle of nowheresville Saskatchewan. The municipality has 110,000 people living in it, we're 45 minutes from Windsor and an hour from London. I think it qualifies as a 'city'... not a huge one, but still a city. I understand driving for care is a reality, not having a doctor doesn't have to be one, not having more than one walk-in-clinic because there's no doctors in town doesn't have to be one, not having BASIC cancer treatments in an area with 110,000 thousand people in a day and age where 1 in 4 people get diagnosed with cancer doesn't have to be one, waiting for three months for a cat scan or 6-8 hours in the emergency room doesn't have to be one. There's absolutely nothing here that would cause a brain to go mush. I kinda view it as common sense.

I agree. That's why i said that the system needs to address this. What I'm curious about it whether areas with populations of 110,000 in the USA are getting all that as well. Are they? And of those 110,000 how many are covered or can actually pay for the treatment that is required.

I'm just posing a question out of curiosity.

[Birdy]

What is the municipality of Chatham doing to attract doctors?

Instead of clamouring for the fed gov't to "fix things" how about using some of that Libertarian spirit to see what can be done at the grass roots level to attract doctors to the area.

Holy shit... talk about inconsistency!

Volunteer medical recruitment committees, fundraising the shit out of us, hosting visiting doctors... etc.

What I'm curious about it whether areas with populations of 110,000 in the USA are getting all that as well. Are they? And of those 110,000 how many are covered or can actually pay for the treatment that is required.

Well, i know Traverse City, MI has a population of 142,000 people and ONE of their hospitals is ranked in the top 100 in the US.

[Birdy]

hahah... i just read this:

I'm not picking on you. Believe me, I bite my tongue way more than not when you're involved in a thread. I honestly think they'd be more variety in the debate on this forum if you weren't so polarizing.

How nice!! God forbid someone disagree with YOU! And you call Conservatives elitists.

[Birdy]

Sorry to repost, but that comment kind of irritates me. I'd be all for open honest talk about how to make things better, but sometimes i feel like i get it from all sides and the least i can do is come out, one arm swinging. I don't think it's unfair to say this place has a major bias, and for the most part (aside from a few glimmering, don't look at me, but i might like something the CPC does posts) a lot of what gets said in here is a little bit of regurgitation in different mouths. I think (hope) i try to explain my opinions, and think i do a really, really good job of weathering the opposition. So how 'bout we lay low on the low blows?

[ollie]

Holy shit... talk about inconsistency!

How so?

Volunteer medical recruitment committees, fundraising the shit out of us, hosting visiting doctors... etc.

That's great. I hope it works out. But if it doesn't do you want the federal gov't to force doctors to work there?

[can-o-phish]

Keep swinging that one arm Birdy...your posts are well-worded, backed up with solid facts and, in my opinion, make many of us liberal-lefties look a bit off-guard...kinda like Dion!

I'll probably be burned in effigy for that last one but it'd be pretty boring if everyone was spouting the same shite! :content:

[Birdy]

Not by any means - my suggestions are noted in one of my posts above.

Your inconsistency lies in you for the least three or so years, disagreeing with me on pretty much every level (for those that you commented on), why spout the libertarian message now? My libertarianism exists as an ideology, but like i said in a previous thread - due to what we have built up and rely on, the implication of it could be catastrophic.

Kanada Kev's post sounded a little bit like the Harris days in Ontario... ironically, you agreed with him, calling it "common sense".

[ollie]

I don't think it's unfair to say this place has a major bias, and for the most part (aside from a few glimmering, don't look at me, but i might like something the CPC does posts) a lot of what gets said in here is a little bit of regurgitation in different mouths.

By saying there's a bias here are you questioning the sincerity of other's opinions? It seems to me you are and I find that awfully condescending.

Here's a definition of regurgitation I found, and I think this is the spirt in which it was used by you:

2. recall after rote memorization; "he complained that school was just memorization and regurgitation"

Because that kind of low blow irritates the hell out of me.

[ollie]

Your inconsistency lies in you for the least three or so years, disagreeing with me on pretty much every level (for those that you commented on), why spout the libertarian message now? My libertarianism exists as an ideology, but like i said in a previous thread - due to what we have built up and rely on, the implication of it could be catastrophic.

I'm just saying if you want to call yourself Libertarian then you should act like one.

[Birdy]

Keep swinging that one arm Birdy...your posts are well-worded, backed up with solid facts and, in my opinion, make many of us liberal-lefties look a bit off-guard...kinda like Dion!

I'll probably be burned in effigy for that last one but it'd be pretty boring if everyone was spouting the same shite!

THANK YOU!!

[ollie]

backed up with solid facts

This is the part I disagree with. Birdy was using anecdotal evidence to support her claim that the QUALITY of our health care system sucks. If that counts as solid fact then so does my anecdotal evidence.

[can-o-phish]

I'm also positive that comments and reactions will become much more intense and heated the closer we get to October 14th...

My $0.02 is that I think we'll see a CPC majority government...

We live in a country that had a chance to have all parties working somewhat together as a minority government. Parties working together to find level ground and achieve many thngs but as we live the "real" world everyone wants to be king and for that we are not as strong as we could be...I'm not talking about achieving Utopia but what's wrong with working towards it...

[Birdy]

Birdy Said:I don't think it's unfair to say this place has a major bias, and for the most part (aside from a few glimmering, don't look at me, but i might like something the CPC does posts) a lot of what gets said in here is a little bit of regurgitation in different mouths.

By saying there's a bias here are you questioning the sincerity of other's opinions? It seems to me you are and I find that awfully condescending.

Here's a definition of regurgitation I found, and I think this is the spirt in which it was used by you:

Said by:2. recall after rote memorization; "he complained that school was just memorization and regurgitation"

Because that kind of low blow irritates the hell out of me.

I'm not questioning the sincerity of anyone's opinions... i'm just saying this forum is largely left-leaning. Using the term regurgitation is by no means an insult, and if you want to look up definitions, here's the one I'd choose:

a flow that returns toward its source.

Pretty much the SAME you accuse me of.

[can-o-phish]

This is the part I disagree with. Birdy was using anecdotal evidence to support her claim that the QUALITY of our health care system sucks. If that counts as solid fact then so does my anecdotal evidence.

I was commenting in general towards Birdy's posts, not just health care...

[Birdy]

This is the part I disagree with. Birdy was using anecdotal evidence to support her claim that the QUALITY of our health care system sucks. If that counts as solid fact then so does my anecdotal evidence.

I had more anecdotal evidence than you! haha...

I'm just saying if you want to call yourself Libertarian then you should act like one.

I think that's the reason ideology is called ideology. I vote the way I vote because they're (and the Greens) are the most aligned with my ideology. I think it says a lot of someone who can recognize their ideology as such, and think of how it can be best applied in a current situation. Which I think is what I do.

[Booche]

In my mind, Ollie and Birdy are a couple. Does Birdy also watch 90210?

[ollie]

I'm not questioning the sincerity of anyone's opinions...

That's exactly how it comes off when you lump us all together and use words like bias and regurgitate. Like I said, I think you'd find more variety in the debate here if you didn't jump on very anti-Harper comment and let the discussion breath a little.

[ollie]

I think it says a lot of someone who can recognize their ideology as such, and think of how it can be best applied in a current situation. Which I think is what I do.

Pat yourself on the back much?

[ollie]

In my mind, Ollie and Birdy are a couple. Does Birdy also watch 90210?

I feel like I'm debating a Leafs fan.

Sorry... now that was low.

[Birdy]

AAAAAAAAAAGH!

Ollie, i'm all about letting the discussion breathe. I brought up that I thought our healthcare system sucked, suggested things I'd like to change, things i thought were honest to god progressive and innovative and willing of debate. But you didn't focus on those, you focused on my first line. I'd much, much, much prefer to sit here and talk about how say, Singapore's health care system could apply to the Canadian way of life, but the last what? couple of hours have been you and me going back and forth in what is increasingly starting to feel like a bit of a lover's quarrel! hahaha... seriously though... maybe it's my choice of words that get you hung up, but you can't say I don't add variety to the debate. You just *SEEM* to ignore that variety... not to be mean, but that's how I feel.

And sorry, no 90210 watching here!!

ok... one episode.

[Birdy]

I hate the leafs.

Vive le Flames!

[ollie]

Ollie, i'm all about letting the discussion breathe. I brought up that I thought our healthcare system sucked, suggested things I'd like to change, things i thought were honest to god progressive and innovative and willing of debate. But you didn't focus on those, you focused on my first line.

Was your first line the one that said the quality of healthcare in Canada sucks compared to the USA? Sorry, I'll question that everytime.

But in the words of can-o-phish my line about letting debate breath "was commenting in general towards Birdy's posts, not just health care..."

[ollie]

I hate the leafs.

I'll leave on this positive note then... I agree.

[Kanada Kev]

Kanada Kev's post sounded a little bit like the Harris days in Ontario... ironically, you agreed with him, calling it "common sense".

Huh?? How does this sound like Harris other than the fact that Ollie described it is common-sense in nature:

There definitely should be a better system that can ensure that services are available to everyone, but sometimes you're just going to have to go the distance to get it. I'm wondering if this is radically different in the US? If you were living in a rural area in the US are there hospitals all over the place? If you can afford health coverage you're still going to have to drive to a regional health care centre that could be a fair distance away, no?

Maybe if I said we were going to cut provincial funding to the hospitals and instead provide huge tax-incentives for private companies to build, administer and run hospitals then it could be that way

Now, it's great that you mentioned:

Well, i know Traverse City, MI has a population of 142,000 people and ONE of their hospitals is ranked in the top 100 in the US.

So, Traverse City has a couple of hospitals to service a regional population of 142,000 and is well ranked. However, what I also wanted to know was how many of those people have coverage to get service at that hospital? How many people can afford to pay out-of-pocket for getting that top-100 care?? Seriously it makes a big difference.

If our hospitals did NOT have to service everyone, and only those who could afford it, i'd bet that their care would rank in that top-100 as well.

While our system is by no means perfect, it's the simple knowledge and assurance that as a citizen you can get at least some form of care (and more if you have $$) than none at all. By investing in the system and making it better we all gain from it.