Debt and death

The fruits of the health care system in Canada:

A mother in Nova Scotia living with cancer is challenging Premier Stephen McNeil to meet with her after a years-long battle with the province's health-care system.

In an emotional video posted to her Facebook page this week, Inez Rudderham said she went undiagnosed for two years because she couldn't access a family doctor. By the time she was diagnosed, her anal cancer had progressed to its third stage.

This is what happens when you have "free" public health care and private facilities are largely illegal. The government is drowning in debt. Result? Insanely long wait times for access to a doctor. The only realistic option is to save money and visit another country for treatment. For example, tens of thousands of Canadians visit hospitals in the US every year. For all the flaws of the American system, at least, you can get prompt access to a doctor and immediate treatment if necessary.

The debt is already high and the government revenues are insufficient; something has to give:

City of Toronto officials are calling on the province to reverse public health funding cuts that they say could put residents' "health at risk," amid a growing battle between the city and the Ministry of Health over the true financial impact of the changes.

Last week, Premier Doug Ford's government notified health units that it will reduce cost-sharing from levels of 100 per cent or 75 per cent, to 60 to 70 per cent for some municipalities.

In Toronto's case, the cost-sharing for some programs drops to 50-50 by 2021.