What About Privatization?
May 14, 2007
In an election campaign that so far has featured announcements at the rate of almost one per day from each party, there has been somewhat of an absence of a debate around privatization. Manitoba Hydro aside, we need to hear from each of the major parties about their priorities in terms of the public service and threats of contracting-out and other types of privatization.
We’ve seen some movement towards incremental privatization of late both in Manitoba and in other parts of the country. The Maples Surgery Centre, for example, saw the introduction of private care a few years back. In Quebec, Canada’s Supreme Court made a historic (and many would say erroneous) decision to allow the provision of private health care in that province. Alberta and BC have also taken steps down this path as well, with BC now building hospitals through public-private partnerships.
It might be that these are trends that will continue, but that they will remain around the fringes of the medicare system and not pose much of a real threat to it. But it’s also possible – and more likely, one might add – that these introductory measures will be followed up with greater private incursions into our public health system.
The recently concluded “SOS Medicare 2: Looking Forward – Building on Tommy Douglas’ Vision of Medicare Conference” in Regina had doctors and academics from prestigious universities such as Princeton and the Harvard Medical School talking about the state of Medicare in Canada. What was most interesting was that every single one talked about how a publicly run, single-payer system such as Canada’s was vastly superior to all other forms, whether they be private or partially private. Even those based in the United States realize how much more efficient and effective the Canadian system is. When some 45 million Americans are uninsured, and the per capita health care expenditure in the US is almost twice that of Canada’s (where health care is universal) you know there is a problem with the system they have in place.
We’ve had parties stumbling over themselves during this campaign to prove themselves less likely to privatize Manitoba Hydro than the others. But, curiously, we haven’t seen any of this discussion about public health care. Don’t Manitoba voters deserve to know what kind of a system each envisions if they form the next government?
Comments
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Well, we know where Doer and the NDP stand on privitization.........they have allowed big companies in to control our Hydro( St.Leon ) , and have done big deals with private companies in the health research field. Doer has done LOTS of private sector deals. He is kinda acting like a conservative in some ways, sans the controlled spending. He is even FOR the war in Afghanistan, something I think we need to get out of personnally. Let the buggers work out their own issues in Iraq and Afghanistan. No matter who you elected, Doer or Mcfadyen, you are going to get private sector deals.
JimCotton - 2007-05-14 23:02
One more thing....the government should provide GOOD health care. If it can't , it should pay someone to provide it for us that can get the job done. People don't care who provides it, as long as the government pays for it and it's fast and good.
JimCotton - 2007-05-14 23:04
You are the Jim Cotton who left the Conservative Party because it is too liberal. Why lend any credibility to anything you say on an MGEU blog when all you want to do is turn EVERYTHING over to the private sector? You are also a member of the Marijuana Party - have another reefer. Your credibility is zero around here, pal.
Jeff - 2007-05-15 10:20
Did it ever occur to you how many Jim Cotton's there are in Manitoba. 5 that I know of, 1 who is my son and one who is a cousin . Like I said , if the government can't do the job, they should get someone who can. Also I don't do drugs, never have. I was never a member of the Marijuana Party. That is the funniest thing I have ever heard. I know my cousin is big in the PC party, that's who you are talking about , I guess.
JimCotton - 2007-05-15 17:55