In defence of public health care - Letter to the Editor: National Post

In defence of public health care

Re: Leaving Canada’s Health-Care Myths Behind, Lorne Gunter, Dec. 21.
Lorne Gunter accuses provincial politicians of wanting to keep the single-payer health-care system for no particular reason. I am so tired of evidence-empty arguments calling for more corporate involvement in health care. Let’s debate the merits of a single-payer public provider versus a parallel for-profit, based on fact and reason.
The national spirit that created medicare is one of a caring society, so that the sick and the poor do not have to worry that they will not get timely quality care because their health-care provider is working at the rich person’s hospital. Choice means fend for yourself and since when has that been our national spirit or even an option for those who want to see public policy based on research and evidence?
Linda Silas, president, Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions, Ottawa.