Knee-jerk perspectives on the Middle East, golfer's perspective on medicare

Is Romanow working on a plan to improve someone's golf game? And why doesn't the Left show more sense over Israel?

The Straight Goods Cyber Forum
with Larry Solway

Commentary:

  The Health Care system is being held hostage by a gang of country club layabouts who need new hips so they can break 100. Where is all this coming from? Stay with me.
  I have a sinking feeling that the Liberal government is using Roy Romanow as a straw man to cover their indifference to funding and their unwillingness to control the national scope of the Canada Health Act. We already are saddled with a hodge-podge of provincial limitations that supersede the original intent of the Act. Ottawa may not really want medicare to survive, except as an alternative to a privately insured system.
  Golfers beware. Your time has come. A Tory loving head of Canada's largest health services provider has spoken.
  Tony Fell, head of the University Health Network, the mega health center combining Toronto General, Western and Princess Margaret hospitals, told a Canadian Club luncheon "If our governments cannot provide additional funding, then they should change the rules and regulations to permit private sector funds to flow into the system." Fell is chairman of RBC Capital Markets and a well-connected Conservative fundraiser.

The Canada Health Act should be opened up to allow private coverage of a hip or knee replacement "to facilitate a better golf game."

  He went on to explain that the ban on extra billing of patients by physicians for "more exotic medical services and treatments over and above basic health care" should be lifted. The Canada Health Act should be opened up to allow private coverage of a hip or knee replacement "to facilitate a better golf game." A Better golf game! Does he, and he should know as head of Canada's largest hospital system, that the people waiting for hip or knee replacements aren't a gang of country club millionaires. But what would a corporate biggie know about just plain people, aside from his chauffeur or the women who clean his building after midnight.
  He offers this facile solution: "Would it not be better to say, `Here is the base level of health care we will provide and if you want more, you will have to pay for it directly or through a privately funded insurance program."
  Fell noted that Canadians can buy life insurance, house insurance, car insurance and travel insurance and asked: Why can't they purchase insurance for "incremental medical services over and above the norm?"
  This is what Romanow is up against. If there is the care available to do what we can't seem to do; if it is still available but without lengthy sometimes life-threatening delays - then we should have access to it. Would private money and health care for profit wave a magic wand and create new facilities
  I fear for Romanow. He will be the patsy and Chrétien will walk away with clean hands.

SECOND THOUGHTS

  I didn't observe Holocaust Day, but only because I don't as a rule attend religious ceremonies. But the intransigence from the Palestinians, and even worse, the knee-jerk support from most of my friends on The Left, have left me speechless and angry. Svend Robinson's tirade about torture of Palestinians presents me with a terrible dilemma: do I surrender my NDP card and bolt the party? Is a single issue enough to make me turn my back on social justice? I hope not. Right here in Straight GoodsSuzanne Elston refers to the Israeli troops surrounding the Church of The Nativity as if that is a brutal act of war, but she does not mention that Palestinian troops forced their way in and were using the Church.
  I will not indulge in a you-did-we-did laying of blame, except to note that Palestinians are summarily executing Palestinians suspected of collaboration. While I'm at it - speaking of refugees - what about the millions of Jews who once lived in Cairo, or Damascus, Baghdad or Teheran? Are they in refugee camps waiting to "return?" I never believed that the right-wing Likkud Party was fit to govern, but like many Jews, the circumstance in Israel and The West Bank is driving many others, and me, closer together than ever. We are united in our belief that the world seems ready to abandon us once again - this time in the name of "respect for Palestinians." Sharon may be a terrible man, but Israelis and worldwide Jews are starting to realize that appeasement doesn't work. But no matter how generous the offers for peace and security and a Palestinian State, enemies of Israel prevail. The Palestinians seem to reject every offer, including the last offer made by Prime Minister Barak and resident Clinton. Israel offered even more, But Arafat turned his back. In fact, when questioned about his role in accepting Israeli terms he expressed the belief that he could be assassinated. So much for the good intentions. So much for Hamas who repeatedly have rejected any idea of a Jewish State side-by-side with a Palestinian State. What is Sharon supposed to do? For heaven's sake - Israel wants only to survive.
  I think the establishment of settlements within occupied territory is grotesque, and they should be abandoned. But once done, does anyone really believe that would "satisfy" the Palestinians? Give me a break!

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