B.C. Politics Thread

[The Arrogant Worms]

Earth to millennials: Pierre Poilievre is playing you on housing. Poilievre’s focus is always about politics,

 

“He clearly doesn’t care who he has to drag through the parliamentary mud in order to score a point on his opponents.” In parliament Poilievre has targeted David Eby Premier of BC, as having “Probably the worst housing record of any politician on Earth.”

 

He has blamed high housing prices on Eby, as if this problem started when he became premier a year ago. Poilievre’s political tactics become even more obvious when he purposely fails to mention that Eby “Has transformed the housing market in his province, implementing a raft of hugely ambitious and aggressive reforms that target everything from short-term rentals and restrictive local zoning bylaws to design-oriented regulations that can unlock more supply.”

 

As Poilievre tries to paint a prettier picture of Conservative governments, “He’s conspicuously silent about Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s track record.” Poilievre purposely avoids mentioning how since the Progressive Conservatives took power in 2018, “Most of his government’s legislative efforts on this file have revolved around trying to enrich Ford-friendly developers.”

 

He also leaves out that “While housing starts were up 11 per cent in Eby’s B.C. in 2023, they dropped 36 per cent in Ford’s Ontario.” Poilievre also lies about being Harper’s housing minister, when that role didn’t even exist at that time.

 

Perhaps most importantly, Poilievre will never tell millennials that he voted against affordable housing/low income housing in 2014, 2018, 2019, and 2023. When Poilievre talks about encouraging building of more homes, his goal will not be more affordable housing. https://nationalobserver.com/2024/03/04/opi

[Bob Long]

5 hours ago, Warhippy said:

If I cut the end off of the bottom of this blanket and attach it to the top I have a longer blanket!

 

There are efficiencies to be had in our system for sure, but I haven't seen enough to know what Rustad is actually talking about.

 

If he's talking about removing silos, leveraging private options for better rural care, etc I'm all for it. But I need to see the details.

 

Just looking at what they said in the summer in the spoiler below. I don't actually have a problem with any of it as a general statement, but like I said the details really matter. 

 

I've been yapping about our bloated admin for a long time now. It makes no sense how top heavy we are. 

 

Performance reviews are where Rustad is going to run into huge resistance, can't see that one happening. 

 

How he plans on using private care is still a mystery. 

 

Spoiler

July 18, Vancouver, BC: Today, John Rustad, Leader of the Conservative Party of British Columbia, unveiled a comprehensive plan to overhaul the province’s healthcare system, ensuring that patients are placed at the forefront of care. The proposed reforms aim to expand access, reduce wait times, and support frontline staff while creating a transparent and accountable system.

“Our healthcare system is in crisis, and it’s time for a change,” Rustad stated. “British Columbians deserve timely access to quality care without the endless waits and bureaucratic red tape. Our plan puts patients first, ensuring they receive the care they need when they need it.”

 

Key Components of the Plan include:

1. The New ‘Patients First’ Healthcare Model

We spend over 11% of our GDP on healthcare — more than 27 comparable other countries. Yet among OECD countries, we are 25th of 26 in acute care beds/1000 population, 26th of 28 in MDs, 14th of 24 in nurses and 21st of 24 in MRI scanners. 

Our Healthcare model no longer works, especially when compared to countless other countries in the world, particularly European countries. 

• The New ‘Patients First’ Model: Universal healthcare for everyone under a single-payer system that delivers care through both public and non-governmental facilities.

 

2. Expanding Access to Care and Ending Long Wait Times

• Patients First: Wait Time Guarantee: Implement a Patient-Based Funding Model, giving patients the choice to access care sooner.
• Direct Funding to the Front-Lines: Germany has twice the population of Canada, yet we have 10 times as many health administrators. We will reduce red tape and direct funding to patients delivered by the  front lines where it matters most. This includes Increasing hiring of nurses, doctors, specialists, and other healthcare professionals.

 

3. Stopping ER Closures

• Hire Back Thousands of Health Care Workers: Reinstate healthcare workers who are currently out-of-work due to personal health care decisions.
• Reward Rural & Remote Health Care Staff: Expand programs to incentivize doctors and nurses to work in high-need communities.

 

4. Protecting and Supporting Front Line Staff

• Zero-Tolerance Policy on Illicit Drug Use in Hospitals: Part of our larger plan to recriminalize hard drugs, we will be increasing security to prevent illicit drug use in emergency rooms and hospitals.
• Reduce Administrative Burden: In addition to eliminating excess administration, we will Implement modern tools and technologies to allow healthcare providers more time with patients.
• Repeal the Health Professions and Occupations Act (Bill C-36): Remove ideology and political control imposed by the NDP.

 

5. Creating a Modern, Transparent, and Accountable BC Healthcare System

• Transparent Reporting on Health Care Data & Patient Outcomes: Establish a mandate for transparent data in the efficacies of the healthcare system.
• Health Services Performance Review: Greater reporting on administrative cost, savings and services. These include government and non-government delivered services.
• Update & Modernize Healthcare Technology: Implement new technologies such as telehealth and digital diagnostic tools to reduce wait times and improve care.

 

“CIHI data shows that wait times for priority surgery procedures have worsened over the past decade under the current government and over 180 ER closures have been reported throughout BC in 2024 alone,” Rustad continued. “This is simply unacceptable. British Columbians deserve better. We must act now to stop this trend and ensure our emergency rooms remain open and accessible to everyone”.

Rustad then decried the state of working conditions for BC healthcare workers, “we have a situation where 71% percent of BC nurses report feeling unsafe in their working environment. This is driving valuable staff away from the profession. We need to protect and support our front-line staff to retain and attract healthcare professionals.”

“Our healthcare professionals are overworked, and our patients are underserved,” Rustad concluded. “By putting patients first and supporting our frontline workers, we can build a healthcare system that is modern, efficient, and truly serves the people of British Columbia. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business says that reducing administrative burdens could facilitate 5.5 million more patient visits per year. It’s clear that we need a more transparent and accountable healthcare system that prioritizes patient care over bureaucracy.”

 

Edited September 22 by Bob Long

[Bob Long]

41 minutes ago, The Arrogant Worms said:

Earth to millennials: Pierre Poilievre is playing you on housing. Poilievre’s focus is always about politics,

 

“He clearly doesn’t care who he has to drag through the parliamentary mud in order to score a point on his opponents.” In parliament Poilievre has targeted David Eby Premier of BC, as having “Probably the worst housing record of any politician on Earth.”

 

He has blamed high housing prices on Eby, as if this problem started when he became premier a year ago. Poilievre’s political tactics become even more obvious when he purposely fails to mention that Eby “Has transformed the housing market in his province, implementing a raft of hugely ambitious and aggressive reforms that target everything from short-term rentals and restrictive local zoning bylaws to design-oriented regulations that can unlock more supply.”

 

As Poilievre tries to paint a prettier picture of Conservative governments, “He’s conspicuously silent about Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s track record.” Poilievre purposely avoids mentioning how since the Progressive Conservatives took power in 2018, “Most of his government’s legislative efforts on this file have revolved around trying to enrich Ford-friendly developers.”

 

He also leaves out that “While housing starts were up 11 per cent in Eby’s B.C. in 2023, they dropped 36 per cent in Ford’s Ontario.” Poilievre also lies about being Harper’s housing minister, when that role didn’t even exist at that time.

 

Perhaps most importantly, Poilievre will never tell millennials that he voted against affordable housing/low income housing in 2014, 2018, 2019, and 2023. When Poilievre talks about encouraging building of more homes, his goal will not be more affordable housing. https://nationalobserver.com/2024/03/04/opi

 

Yea but the YouTube. So much YouTube.

[NewbieCanuckFan]

On 9/20/2024 at 7:09 AM, Bob Long said:

Pretty interesting latest poll from main Street https://www.mainstreetresearch.ca/#polling

 

Still a very high undecided, and 57% wanting a change in government.

 

 

 

No surprise.  You been in power enough, people will end up getting tired of you.  The old Socreds though were masters at that (staying in power) & still managed to get voted out in the 70s before re-purposing & regaining power.

[Bob Long]

1 minute ago, NewbieCanuckFan said:

No surprise.  You been in power enough, people will end up getting tired of you.  The old Socreds though were masters at that (staying in power) & still managed to get voted out in the 70s before re-purposing & regaining power.

 

I was actually surprised at that number, I didn't think it would be that high.

 

I'm still not convinced that Rustad has the ability to flip any more seats to gain power. 

 

 

[Boudrias]

15 hours ago, Bob Long said:

 

I was actually surprised at that number, I didn't think it would be that high.

 

I'm still not convinced that Rustad has the ability to flip any more seats to gain power. 

 

 

That is the beauty of democracy. The vote will tell the tale. Does Rustad have a ground game? Many BC United workers have moved over but will they be effective? The same question can be asked of the NDP, however. I talk to NDP'ers who complain of lack of motivation from supporters. As a community volunteer you can ask any service group and they will tell you that attracting volunteers becomes more difficult each year. Government doesn't do a great job of creating community yet many people expect them to. Younger people appear to be happy to be more dependant on government. That likely helps the NDP. Rustad has to have a clear message to gain the votes of those who are realizing that government cannot be the end all. Not sure if Rusatd has the answer. If Horigan was still Premier I might think differently about the NDP. I don't trust Eby.  

[Bob Long]

19 minutes ago, Boudrias said:

That is the beauty of democracy. The vote will tell the tale. Does Rustad have a ground game? Many BC United workers have moved over but will they be effective? The same question can be asked of the NDP, however. I talk to NDP'ers who complain of lack of motivation from supporters. As a community volunteer you can ask any service group and they will tell you that attracting volunteers becomes more difficult each year. Government doesn't do a great job of creating community yet many people expect them to.

 

So much happens online now I dont know how important people on the ground are, they got this far really fast.

 

19 minutes ago, Boudrias said:

 

Younger people appear to be happy to be more dependant on government.

 

 

Well they are not getting much for that, most kids under 25 probably can't afford both car insurance and rent.

 

19 minutes ago, Boudrias said:

That likely helps the NDP. Rustad has to have a clear message to gain the votes of those who are realizing that government cannot be the end all. Not sure if Rusatd has the answer. If Horigan was still Premier I might think differently about the NDP. I don't trust Eby.  

 

I don't care for him either. Horgan was a lot more pragmatic.

[Alflives]

3 minutes ago, Bob Long said:

 

So much happens online now I dont know how important people on the ground are, they got this far really fast.

 

 

Well they are not getting much for that, most kids under 25 probably can't afford both car insurance and rent.

 

 

I don't care for him either. Horgan was a lot more pragmatic.

Maybe people should, in cities, should be using transit anyway? Way too many cars on our streets. Take the “Loser Cruiser”. 

[Boudrias]

8 minutes ago, Alflives said:

Maybe people should, in cities, should be using transit anyway? Way too many cars on our streets. Take the “Loser Cruiser”. 

Harsh Alf. Hard weekend?

[Bob Long]

4 minutes ago, Alflives said:

Maybe people should, in cities, should be using transit anyway? Way too many cars on our streets.

 

Depends on where you live I guess. SkyTrain is great but doesn't do you much good in the valley.

 

I'm not sure kids want everything from govt, but not getting completely hosed on rent is something I'd want too.

 

The NDP have done very little on this problem. The combination of municipal, provincial and federal laws on ownership and empty homes have helped a little but it's clearly not enough.

 

4 minutes ago, Alflives said:

 

Take the “Loser Cruiser”. 

 

 

[NewbieCanuckFan]

11 minutes ago, Alflives said:

Take the “Loser Cruiser”. 

Stick to class warfare Alf.

 

"Peasant Wagon"

 

[bishopshodan]

Big Con signs all over central island.

 

Feels like the future is gonna have us feeling blue. 

[Bob Long]

52 minutes ago, bishopshodan said:

Big Con signs all over central island.

 

Feels like the future is gonna have us feeling blue. 

 

The district polls say different, at least right now. It does look like a small NDP majority unless someone/something changes.

[Sapper]

John rustad supported the continuation of Bill 29 and 37 passed by Gordo 

Those 2 bills violated the constitutional freedom and rights of tens of thousands mostly women in BC working in health care and not only led to the largest mass lay offs of women in our history but cost almost $100 million in settlement tax dollars

 

Not one of the former liberals including John did anything to defend the Constitution or freedoms.

 

It's infuriating that BC con supporters can turn a blind eye to the intentional harm done in stripping freedom and rights.

 

The cons will destroy this province and our health care 

 

It's not good enough under the NDP and more work needs to be done but the Liberal now Cons just about destroyed it with their privatization and want to finish it off this go

 

At the wages being paid now BC can't fill all staffing needs through out the system. Private pays less .... Only the most naive and gullible buy his crap that paying less will fix everything with staffing. 

 

John could have gone on the record about keeping wages and benefits in place and not contracting out and his silence is a clear indicator of where he is taking us .... BC has been there and tried massive privatization and lower care home wages and both paths failed horribly.  

[Bob Long]

1 hour ago, Sapper said:

John rustad supported the continuation of Bill 29 and 37 passed by Gordo 

Those 2 bills violated the constitutional freedom and rights of tens of thousands mostly women in BC working in health care and not only led to the largest mass lay offs of women in our history but cost almost $100 million in settlement tax dollars

 

Not one of the former liberals including John did anything to defend the Constitution or freedoms.

 

It's infuriating that BC con supporters can turn a blind eye to the intentional harm done in stripping freedom and rights.

 

The cons will destroy this province and our health care 

 

It's not good enough under the NDP and more work needs to be done but the Liberal now Cons just about destroyed it with their privatization and want to finish it off this go

 

At the wages being paid now BC can't fill all staffing needs through out the system. Private pays less .... Only the most naive and gullible buy his crap that paying less will fix everything with staffing. 

 

John could have gone on the record about keeping wages and benefits in place and not contracting out and his silence is a clear indicator of where he is taking us .... BC has been there and tried massive privatization and lower care home wages and both paths failed horribly.  

 

I don't want to minimize your issue with Gordo, at all. I'm just not sure if anyone under 40 remembers what happened or would understand that particular criticism. 

 

But we do have serious issues we need to fix regardless of what happened before. 

 

Rustad has been criticized for discussing a Deloitte report on healthcare (https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/ca/Documents/The-future-of-health-in-Canada-Health-care-reimagined-EN-vF UNSEC_Mar21_AODA.pdf)

 

Its actually an excellent piece of work, there's a lot of good ideas in there that the NDP should be giving real consideration.

 

The only criticism I've seen of the Deloitte report is from the HEU (https://www.heu.org/news/news/why-bc-should-reject-john-rustads-agenda-cut-health-spending-41-billion).

 

The problem I have is instead of addressing the ideas in the report, they go after the messenger. That usually happens when you can't argue against the concepts. 

 

imo Eby would be wise to actually use many of the ideas in the report going forward.

 

 

[Boudrias]

13 minutes ago, Bob Long said:

 

I don't want to minimize your issue with Gordo, at all. I'm just not sure if anyone under 40 remembers what happened or would understand that particular criticism. 

 

But we do have serious issues we need to fix regardless of what happened before. 

 

Rustad has been criticized for discussing a Deloitte report on healthcare (https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/ca/Documents/The-future-of-health-in-Canada-Health-care-reimagined-EN-vF UNSEC_Mar21_AODA.pdf)

 

Its actually an excellent piece of work, there's a lot of good ideas in there that the NDP should be giving real consideration.

 

The only criticism I've seen of the Deloitte report is from the HEU (https://www.heu.org/news/news/why-bc-should-reject-john-rustads-agenda-cut-health-spending-41-billion).

 

The problem I have is instead of addressing the ideas in the report, they go after the messenger. That usually happens when you can't argue against the concepts. 

 

imo Eby would be wise to actually use many of the ideas in the report going forward.

 

 

If the NDP are defeated in BC a major reason will be poor healthcare or more accurately poor access to healthcare. If Rustad is elected he will face the same problem. If he cannot fix it he will likely be tossed out as well and should be. 

[Bob Long]

53 minutes ago, Boudrias said:

If the NDP are defeated in BC a major reason will be poor healthcare or more accurately poor access to healthcare. If Rustad is elected he will face the same problem. If he cannot fix it he will likely be tossed out as well and should be. 

 

Yep. Rustad is talking a pretty big game on health, not sure yet how he'd actually do it all.

 

The Deloitte report is a good road map, but that's all it is.

 

[Duodenum]

https://www.rustadrisk.ca/

 

Haven't checked about the accuracy of this, but a pretty good marketing ploy by the ndp.

[Boudrias]

1 hour ago, Bob Long said:

 

Yep. Rustad is talking a pretty big game on health, not sure yet how he'd actually do it all.

 

The Deloitte report is a good road map, but that's all it is.

 

Less than a month to election day and I saw the first campaign signs today. (Green & Independent)  No NDP or BC Con signs. 

[Bob Long]

1 hour ago, Duodenum said:

https://www.rustadrisk.ca/

 

Haven't checked about the accuracy of this, but a pretty good marketing ploy by the ndp.

 

I'll give it points for creativity. Felt like I won something.

[Sapper]

2 hours ago, Bob Long said:

 

I don't want to minimize your issue with Gordo, at all. I'm just not sure if anyone under 40 remembers what happened or would understand that particular criticism. 

 

But we do have serious issues we need to fix regardless of what happened before. 

 

Rustad has been criticized for discussing a Deloitte report on healthcare (https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/ca/Documents/The-future-of-health-in-Canada-Health-care-reimagined-EN-vF UNSEC_Mar21_AODA.pdf)

 

Its actually an excellent piece of work, there's a lot of good ideas in there that the NDP should be giving real consideration.

 

The only criticism I've seen of the Deloitte report is from the HEU (https://www.heu.org/news/news/why-bc-should-reject-john-rustads-agenda-cut-health-spending-41-billion).

 

The problem I have is instead of addressing the ideas in the report, they go after the messenger. That usually happens when you can't argue against the concepts. 

 

imo Eby would be wise to actually use many of the ideas in the report going forward.

 

 

Deloitte is a major accounting firm .... I have read that report and strongly disagree with its expectation that education and privatization will fix everything 

 

I do agree on some of their points regarding more work needed in education and preventative education and health. Take Diabetes as an example. In the USA they ordered all kids cereals to have a minimum amount of whole grains ( bread as well ) in an effort to reduce kids consumption of refined carbs ..

 

There is plenty of things any party in power should be looking to 

 

1 - pharmacare. A leading cause of re admission and er.visits is non med compliance. People can't afford their meds. This is one item that would have a huge impact on health budgets and saving $$$

 

2 - capital investment in our system rather than clinics.  WCB and insurers funding mri's at a private clinic doesn't benefit the community beyond the patient at the time.  Making sure the hospital gets the new machine instead and is staffed 24/7 is a better use of those resources 

 

3 - performance based ideology the cons love works in tractor factories but not health care. It promotes churning patients for faster turn over to secure funds.  A good example is long term care funded beds. The private site gets the same amount of funding per bed no matter which patient is moved in.  This financially incentifies then to seek residents requiring less care. This is why we see stories of some with complex care needs living in hospital for years .....  Incentive and stat based funding will make it much worse 

 

Look at Ontario who passed a law that anyone in an acute bed that can be moved to a care home instead gets billed $400 per.day after 30 days if they don't accept the bed.  Problem is the bed can be anywhere up to 75km away which means many of those seniors will be forever cut off from most friends and family. Sounds great to bean counters but requires patients and residents to be deemed a commodity instead of a person in order to fit the narrative 

 

I always look to union reports as wanting what's best for their members and accounting auditing firms wanting what's best for the people paying their bills ... The actual best results are most likely a combo of both reports.

 

Long way of saying our system is broken and needs a ton of work ..... But I don't like the cons reliance on private can always do it better.  There is a ton of things private does better ( construction , roads , airports etc ). In health and education I feel the public should lead.the way due to private always leaning to what's more profitable vs what's better 

[Bob Long]

13 minutes ago, Sapper said:

Deloitte is a major accounting firm .... I have read that report and strongly disagree with its expectation that education and privatization will fix everything 

 

They also have a lot of people that do management consulting. Went to school with some of them.

 

I do think there is a role for privately run care, particularly in rural areas where it's been so hard for our system to provide even basic services. If a town like Merritt eg can get proper ER care via a privately run clinic I don't see the problem. 

 

Now the big question is, can a private clinic actually succeed in rural areas? 

 

 

13 minutes ago, Sapper said:

 

I do agree on some of their points regarding more work needed in education and preventative education and health. Take Diabetes as an example. In the USA they ordered all kids cereals to have a minimum amount of whole grains ( bread as well ) in an effort to reduce kids consumption of refined carbs ..

 

There is plenty of things any party in power should be looking to 

 

1 - pharmacare. A leading cause of re admission and er.visits is non med compliance. People can't afford their meds. This is one item that would have a huge impact on health budgets and saving $$$

 

Absolutely, this is key.

 

13 minutes ago, Sapper said:

2 - capital investment in our system rather than clinics.  WCB and insurers funding mri's at a private clinic doesn't benefit the community beyond the patient at the time.  Making sure the hospital gets the new machine instead and is staffed 24/7 is a better use of those resources 

 

What about timely rural access tho? How do we get better service outside of the lower mainland?

 

13 minutes ago, Sapper said:

3 - performance based ideology the cons love works in tractor factories but not health care. It promotes churning patients for faster turn over to secure funds.  A good example is long term care funded beds. The private site gets the same amount of funding per bed no matter which patient is moved in.  This financially incentifies then to seek residents requiring less care. This is why we see stories of some with complex care needs living in hospital for years .....  Incentive and stat based funding will make it much worse 

 

Yea the performance stuff isn't going to happen. Good luck getting the docs to agree on that one.

 

Interesting on the long term care side, my mil was at public care for two years, and is now in private. The actual care has been good in both, really great staff at each place.

 

She's 91 with dementia.

 

13 minutes ago, Sapper said:

Look at Ontario who passed a law that anyone in an acute bed that can be moved to a care home instead gets billed $400 per.day after 30 days if they don't accept the bed.  Problem is the bed can be anywhere up to 75km away which means many of those seniors will be forever cut off from most friends and family. Sounds great to bean counters but requires patients and residents to be deemed a commodity instead of a person in order to fit the narrative 

 

Agreed this side of it has to be managed very carefully. 

 

13 minutes ago, Sapper said:

I always look to union reports as wanting what's best for their members and accounting auditing firms wanting what's best for the people paying their bills ... The actual best results are most likely a combo of both reports.

 

Consulting firms do the job that they are hired to do, for sure I've seen some predetermined reports to some degree over the years but the one thing you can do is go over the report itself and argue the points. 

 

I've never fudged a report for a client, thats a good way to lose your reputation.

 

13 minutes ago, Sapper said:

Long way of saying our system is broken and needs a ton of work ..... But I don't like the cons reliance on private can always do it better.  There is a ton of things private does better ( construction , roads , airports etc ). In health and education I feel the public should lead.the way due to private always leaning to what's more profitable vs what's better 

 

For me it's about outcomes. What can we do to provide the best care for the money we have.

 

I don't really care what percentage is public or private as long as everyone has equal access and the care standards are high.

[Warhippy]

2 hours ago, Duodenum said:

https://www.rustadrisk.ca/

 

Haven't checked about the accuracy of this, but a pretty good marketing ploy by the ndp.

For the short term attention holders this is actually a smart gimmick

 

 

[Warhippy]

2 hours ago, Duodenum said:

https://www.rustadrisk.ca/

 

Haven't checked about the accuracy of this, but a pretty good marketing ploy by the ndp.

My stepbrother is so screwed

 

 

[Sapper]

12 minutes ago, Bob Long said:

 

They also have a lot of people that do management consulting. Went to school with some of them.

 

I do think there is a role for privately run care, particularly in rural areas where it's been so hard for our system to provide even basic services. If a town like Merritt eg can get proper ER care via a privately run clinic I don't see the problem. 

 

Now the big question is, can a private clinic actually succeed in rural areas? 

 

 

 

Absolutely, this is key.

 

 

What about timely rural access tho? How do we get better service outside of the lower mainland?

 

 

Yea the performance stuff isn't going to happen. Good luck getting the docs to agree on that one.

 

Interesting on the long term care side, my mil was at public care for two years, and is now in private. The actual care has been good in both, really great staff at each place.

 

She's 91 with dementia.

 

 

Agreed this side of it has to be managed very carefully. 

 

 

Consulting firms do the job that they are hired to do, for sure I've seen some predetermined reports to some degree over the years but the one thing you can do is go over the report itself and argue the points. 

 

I've never fudged a report for a client, thats a good way to lose your reputation.

 

 

For me it's about outcomes. What can we do to provide the best care for the money we have.

 

I don't really care what percentage is public or private as long as everyone has equal access and the care standards are high.

Years ago when I was involved in the Canadian health coalition ( just a supporter not actual part of them ) I went to the Harper and Gordo round tables on health

 

I made a couple of suggestions that got smugly brushed off. 

 

I said we need to adopt some of the USA and Canadian Military medical field treatment methods. If anyone can squeeze a nickle from a penny it's the Canadian Military 

 

Both militaries have mobile.mri trucks among other major diagnostic type trucks. Can be moved very quickly and as often as needed.  Imagine if an MRI truck was in remote towns and cities a couple days per month ? No more travel to the big city needed. Reduced wait times and earlier diagnosis.

 

Now imagine converting a few busses to chemo and l dialysis traveling clinics. Again places like Merritt getting weekly visits as needed so patients get their care at home close to their supports.

 

Europe has this .... I don't know the costs but this is one area that if private was cheaper it may make sense so long as it doesn't steal needed staff from other sites 

 

And one big complaint of doctors in rural bc is the inability to work in their specialty as the local hospital doesn't have the service. This may be very helpful in keeping rural doctors 

 

Second .... Have a mobile mash type ER. Just the staff not equipment. Yes we will need to pay more for them but imagine 20 or so ER nurses and 5 to 10 Er doctors all able to work in any BC hospital being paid enough that they would take the job knowing that every weekend they would be deployed to a BC emerg as needed 

 

Local hospitals would only need to block off enough beds for them to sleep and they can be fed from the in house cafeterias so really could be deployed on very short notice.

I'd image it would cost a fair bit in premium wages but this may be very attractive  to new doctors that love mobility and new adventures. .. kinda try all communities before you pick one to settle

 

There are solutions and in some limited areas private may be key.

 

For the most part thought I am strongly in favour of public over for profit in health