The United Provinces of Canada (at least on healthcare)
Happy Canada Day!We usually think of Canada as a divided nation, with the province of Quebec perennially at odds with the rest of the county and threatening to secede. I was in Montreal over the weekend and it's fair to say there wasn't much evidence of enthusiasm for the upcoming Canada Day (the rough equivalent of our 4th of July).And yet, at least when it comes to healthcare policy, Quebec is very much at peace with the rest of the country. From the Montreal Gazette (Quebecers united with Canadians on health, divided on language, hockey):
When it comes to stoking national pride, Canadians and Quebecers are united in their appreciation for universal health care and the Canadian passport. They also see eye-to-eye on the importance of the monarchy, Air Canada and Tim Hortons as national symbols, in that they don’t find them particularly important.
A national survey asked the question, "How important are each of the following as a source of personal or collective pride in Canada?"Universal healthcare scored highest. Seventy three percent of Canadians and 70 percent of those from Quebec ranked it as very important. Anglophones and Francophones responded the same way.We usually think of the United States of America, but when it comes to healthcare that is certainly not the case. If anything, Americans might be united against the idea of a Canadian-style system.Kind of odd, then that the people living under that regime are so proud of it.
By healthcare business consultant David E. Williams, president of Health Business Group.