Health Care and the 6th Principle: DRAMA, 4 stars

The NDP Federal leader Jack Layton says, “The Conservative election platform included a commitment to the 5 principles of the Canada Health Act.� Premier Campbell in BC is about to add a 6th principle. The political or bureaucratic gobboligook is couched in words like (1) universality, (2) accessibility, (3) comprehensiveness, (4) portability, and (5) public administration, and maybe (6) the principle of sustainability. Premier Campbell in BC would add the 6th. In my view after all is said and done the issue is really about unions.

Firstly, for those people out East, you must understand that the Federal Liberals and the Federal NDP are both left wing. This is to be contrasted with the BC Provincial Liberals who are centre right while the NDP are left of centre. For instance under no circumstances would you ever see Buzz Hargrove giving the BC Liberal Premier, Gordon Campbell, a United Auto Workers jacket. So if I sound like a blogging Grit on a blogging Tory site, please appreciate that in BC there isn’t much of a difference for the Liberals.

Essentially, the battle in BC will be between a jigabug in one corner and a game of bridge in the other corner. The voters will have to choose the winner. Premier Campbell is going to lead the BC press around Europe to expose the blended public/private health care systems over there to the BC media and public. This traveling jigabug exercise is to educate the public so as to evaporate the fears generated by the NDP about allowing some private clinics in the Province. While the NDP leader will continue to harp about the slippery slope to an American style health care system. In bridge this would be called a finesse. Except Carole James doesn’t comprehend that one can not finesse an Ace,with the Ace representing the sustainability, so the jigabug wins.

Basically this was brought about by the Supreme Court of Canada ruling that said long waits for various medical procedures violated a patients constitutional rights to life and personal security. This decision ruled as unconstitutional Quebecs attempt to outlaw private clinics.

Meanwhile I, the average Shmoo, can and will continue to stand in the line up for health care. You would think that the NDP would stand up for the average Shmoo. But nooo! It is the right wing that is standing up for the average Shmoo. The NDP want to protect the union monopoly. The NDP want to ensure that any health care provided is provided by a doctor behind a unionized person and which union can then blackmail the public into giving the union whatever they demand. The right wing Provincial Liberals are the ones standing up for the average shmoo and I applaud them.

Even the Province cartoonist is depicting the words and the fear the NDP would advance; Care Card versus Visa Credit Card.

NDPers, Federal or Provincial, will yak about how Premier Campbell’s BC’s initiative on health care is distressing and try to instill fear. But let’s face it, BC is not alone. Quebec and Alberta have promised legislation that will permit private hospitals and private practices. That means that three of the country’s biggest provinces are headed in that direction. This is happening out of necessity; a necessity brought about by the high cost of labour which threatens the sustainablity of health care. At present 44% of all tax dollers go to health care. Even a dumb leftist must appreciate that can not go on.The wages earned by a health care worker are a profit to that worker who then says profit is a dirty word in health care. Ya right!

It really is a shame. I believe in Unions. They are a great thing not only for the people they represent but also for the economy. If people have more money, they spend more. Add the multiplier and viola. But all unions go overboard. Being placed in a position of power, a monopoly, they let their pork choppers lead them into greed and price themselves out of the market. The customer becomes irrelevant. It matters not if it’s an airline, an auto producer or a nursing or teachers union. The only word they know is “more�, “more�, “more�.

BC will see that game in abundance this coming summer. In 2006 some 145,000 BCGEU types will want more. Also in 2006 some 83,000 BC health care workers will be wanting more and 93,000 BC public school teachers and universities types will want more.

Meanwhile Shmoos like me who survived on $25,000 last year and next year and likely the year after will still have to send $5000.00 or more in taxes to government for these greedy government unionized workers not to mention the middle management piggy backing the union. Some day I hope some government comes a long, which I highly doubt, that says two words to these over-paid under-worked government workers and you know what those two words are.