Health Care vs. Ducks

[shermanator]

Interesting column in the Herald about the Alberta Health Care issues and how the government is not necessarily getting their priorities straight...

Through all the excuses, obfuscations and belated promises, nobody in government has voiced a word of outrage on behalf of victims, like the person who died of a brain hemorrhage in a waiting room.

Beyond saying "nobody wants to wait in an emergency room" -- Stelmach's trite observation -- the Tories express no empathy, voice no anger, call nobody to account.

When the victims are ducks, though, the premier doesn't tell anybody to cool down. He's pretty hot himself.

The duck deaths are "sad and disappointing," he said, especially when Syncrude was fined for earlier deaths only a few days before. "And now we have this other incident, which is not only frustrating, you know; it makes one angry."

Link: http://www.calgaryherald.com/health/...030/story.html

Discuss! Personally, I think the duck deaths are being blown out of proportion a little.

[Northendzone]

i read the article as well - fir article i have ever read witht he word obfuscations.......

while i was not outraged at the death of the ducks, i was saddened - however i also did not know about some of thsoe folks who died while waiting to see a dr......

[Shazam]

The solution would be to put hospitals into the tailing ponds.

[bizaro86]

Maybe if we shut down the oilsands we'll have more money for hospitals!

Wait a minute...

[CaptainCrunch]

Its funny with the health care debate, especially nationally, becuase I still contend that based on World Wide numbers we're something like 3rd in person spending, but we have are spending it poorly. The health care system in Alberta and across the board is inefficient and top heavy and it really needs to be torn down, and kick started. Most of the problems go to monetary waste and not lack of dollars.

In terms of the Ducks, its very sad, but until the environmental groups start going after wind energy companies about birds being mangled in the wind mills, I don't get too much in arms.

[Sylvanfan]

It boggles my mind now completely incompetent leaders like Stelmach in Alberta, and Gordon Campbell in BC, manage to go along pretty much unchallenged in their respective Provinces. Sad state of democracy these days.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

It boggles my mind now completely incompetent leaders like Stelmach in Alberta, and Gordon Campbell in BC, manage to go along pretty much unchallenged in their respective Provinces. Sad state of democracy these days.

I agree, but its not like we have a serious opposition in Alberta that you could ever trust to run this province.

And as much as Wild Rose has made a big push, they still aren't a credible opposition.

[Mazrim]

Negative news about health care is maybe something that people will hear about in Alberta. Lately, any negative oil sands news is heard worldwide. Stelmach will address the one that will get the bigger spotlight worldwide.

[Locke]

We have to kill the Ducks before the Ducks kill us.

And actually, based on my experience in dealing with people who work for the 'Superboard' and Alberta Health Services, the Crunch man is dead on. Theres too many Chiefs.

Its not that there arent enough Indians, but the Chiefs are kicking around doing nothing.

One would think that when all the seperate boards were combined into one there would be some significant job redundancy and some people would have to be let go. Didnt happen, or, at the very least not to the level it needed to.

There is a lot of money being wasted because the people wasting it are the ones that need to go, but they're also the ones who decide who goes and who stays.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

It boggles my mind now completely incompetent leaders like Stelmach in Alberta, and Gordon Campbell in BC, manage to go along pretty much unchallenged in their respective Provinces. Sad state of democracy these days.

Mostly because there isn't a competent opposition party, although I think Campbell would be turfed if we ran an election right now.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by shermanator

Personally, I think the duck deaths are being blown out of proportion a little.

No, I think it's the human deaths that are being blown under proportion a lot.

[shermanator]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

It boggles my mind now completely incompetent leaders like Stelmach in Alberta, and Gordon Campbell in BC, manage to go along pretty much unchallenged in their respective Provinces. Sad state of democracy these days.

I can't speak for BC, but in the last election, the opposition leader was Kevin Taft. Does anyone really think Kevin Taft would have led this province any better?

[Pinner]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

It boggles my mind now completely incompetent leaders like Stelmach in Alberta, and Gordon Campbell in BC, manage to go along pretty much unchallenged in their respective Provinces. Sad state of democracy these days.

I will not debate politics, but I can say we have never a it so good here in BC.

Gordon Campbell is not popular,and the HST is not popular (yet) but he is a competent Premier. Once the real impact of the HST is realized by the public, he might actually sell this tax.

Have a read http://www.vancouversun.com/opinion/...205/story.html

HST Bennies

Business will benefit of a reduction of costs which is estimated to be over $2 billion. The construction industry will save $880 million, manufacturing and forestry sector will save $140 million; the transportation industry will remove $210 million in costs and $80 million will be saved in mining and oil and gas.
These savings will result in increased investments and productivity, enhanced competitiveness and lower prices, making B.C. one of the most competitive jurisdictions not only in Canada, but in the industrialized world.

[Slava]

There was a great line on twitter this morning from our very own First Lady who said that they were serving ducks for dinner at the PC AGM this weekend. I laughed!

[theonlywhiteout]

i agree with the OP.i can only care about one issue at a time, and i should care about healthcare i guess.