Wisdom of the North: Canada's Hero Tommy Douglas -- Health Care Reform

by Nancy Mehegan

Lumberjacks Lead the Way in Health Care Reform?

Many Americans have an image of Canada, of a quaint, Old World place lacking vitality and energy.  Mounties, lumberjacks and maple syrup...  And yet in health care compassion these "lumberjacks" have soared far beyond their giant southern neighbor.

In America, Town Hall meetings on health care reform erupt in ugly confrontations.

A number of the confrontations have become violent, or at least  threatening. Perhaps we need an Action Hero to lead the way, like Kiefer Sutherland, "Jack Bauer" in the TV program "24"?

Why did I mention Kiefer?  He is the grandson of the Canadian health care reform pioneer, Tommy Douglas.

A Doctor's Kindness

Who was Tommy Douglas? He was the social democratic premier of Saskatchewan.  As a young man he avoided losing his leg because a doctor agreed to treat him for free. Douglas pushed through  - universal, free health insurance - in Saskatchewan, which was later adopted by the national government in 1966.

Was it Easy?  NO!

The doctors in Saskatchewan went on strike for 23 days, refusing to treat patients. Their arguments were the same ones: Most people already have health insurance, the government has no business regulating the private marketplace, etc.

The doctors lost, and the rest is history. Canada has free medical care. It's not a perfect system -  - but it must look attractive to the tens of millions of Americans who have no health coverage at all.

 

As the famous (Hollywood) Canadian Mountie Sargeant Preston said to his trusty dog, "Well, King, this case is closed!"

"Well, King, America needs health care reform!!  Case closed."

 

 

 

Comments

[Spiderman 3 Costume]

What a nice story about Tommy Douglas - an action here, indeed!

Hopefully, we'll get to that "place" where Canada is today...

Kelly