| Is Canada a good model for health care here in | | | | provinces continues to grow faster on average, |
| the United States? | | | | than total revenues from all sources - including the |
| You be the judge. | | | | large Canadian federal government transfers of |
| Even in Canada Health care costs have reached | | | | funds from the wealthy provinces of Ontario in |
| the "tipping point". | | | | the industrial heartland , British Columbia (B.C.) with |
| Recent research indicates the cold , hard | | | | its mineral and forestry industries and Alberta with |
| economic reality that even in Canada with its | | | | its oil wealth . These Canadian Federal |
| informal subsidizes of defense costs by the good | | | | Government fund transfers serve to transfer |
| old USA is having trouble to fund its sc called all | | | | funds from the wealthier "Have" provinces to the |
| inclusive health care system that many liberal | | | | less fortunate "Have Not" provinces in the hope |
| Americans beg to copy without full and thorough | | | | of standardizing living standards and health care |
| investigation. | | | | service levels across the country. |
| Up in our "Neighbor to the North" Canadians are | | | | Health care in Canada is taking an ever increasing |
| reaching the limit of both what taxpayers can | | | | share of all revenues over time, leaving |
| afford to pay as well as reduced access to health | | | | proportionately less money for everything else. |
| care and ever longer waiting times. | | | | Public health care spending in six of the ten |
| Of course there is only so much money in the | | | | provinces is on pace to consume more than half |
| pot and other essential social services are seeing | | | | of total revenues by the year 2020 , two thirds |
| funding cuts. | | | | by the year 2035 and all of the provincial |
| It is generally not appreciated that Canadians have | | | | revenues by 2050. |
| almost had an emergency escape valve of the | | | | And even this analysis's the Institute notes is |
| option of "Going South "if things get rough or too | | | | being generous with assumptions. |
| slow in their medical treatments. | | | | Projections of future revenue growth are actually |
| The humorous part according to Las Vegas based | | | | overestimated because in many of the provinces |
| health care analyst M. Labovitch is that the people | | | | recent growth revenue is a result of increasing |
| with the power and influence in Canada don't | | | | tax burdens. |
| publicize or push for changes when things are hard | | | | Canadians pay to start with a national federal tax |
| as they have automatically used this southern | | | | (G.S.T.) of 7 % in addition of provincial sales taxes |
| option which what they consider is both higher | | | | which range from zero provincial sales taxes in oil |
| quality and speedier medical treatment. | | | | rich Alberta of which the US are the main |
| Indeed Labovitch notes from Vegas that the | | | | consumers to almost 11 % in Prince Edward |
| situation is so apparent and flagrant that when | | | | Island. |
| high profile Canadian leaders and politicians and | | | | And in addition there are a myriad of hidden and |
| their families have serious illnesses that need | | | | incidental taxes. This is in addition as has been |
| treatment the news reports always seem to be | | | | noted to the defense costs of Canada being |
| from prominent American hospitals. Canadians it | | | | subsidized by us here in the states. |
| seems don't notice this two state solution or are | | | | There is only so much money in Canadian's |
| immune and shell shocked already. | | | | pockets and they will have to make choices for a |
| To support this data a prominent Canadian think | | | | lower standard of their living personally or higher |
| tank "The Fraser Institute" corroborated this | | | | taxes. In addition Canada is currently booming |
| information with a recent study. | | | | with oil, mineral and lumber sales. What happens if |
| Using actual Canadian government Statistics | | | | this slows down? |
| Canada data in its current report The Fraser | | | | Is the Canadian health care system sustainable? |
| Institute report notes that data on the most | | | | Should it be the model for us here in the United |
| recent five year trends that public health care | | | | States? You be the judge. |
| spending in every one of the ten Canadian | | | | |