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Layton pledges $1-billion for medical students

STEVE LAMBERT

The Canadian Press

Latest comment posted at 3:36 PM EST 18/09/08

NDP Leader says his government would would increase the number of training spaces for doctors and nurses by 50 per cent ...Read the full article

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  1. Catherine Wilkie from Canada writes: We are suffering a shortage of family physicians. How will Layton's plan encourage more interest in family practice?
  2. Shawn Bull from Canada writes: At this rate we will have to triple the amount of tax we pay to afford the NDP promises.

    Socialism does not work. It is unsustainable.
  3. Prairie Duststorm from Edmonton, Canada writes: Where the He!! is Layton getting all this money? He can promise anything and there are actually people out there that think he could deliver on these promises.
  4. Stan L from Canada writes: Catherine Wilkie from Canada writes: We are suffering a shortage of family physicians. How will Layton's plan encourage more interest in family practice?

    It won't he has been making the most ridiculous unqualified promises so far....almost as many as the Conservatives. Short term 'feel good' soundbites of promises. Personally with the physicians shortage I would be most interested to hear of a program that will fastrack foreign physicians that are already here for approval in our system....there is far too many of them unemployed here and without means to get credit for the expertise they have brought with them.
  5. B M from Barrie, Canada writes: Where's the money coming from Jack???? Once again, the NDP making huge empty promises. How are you going to achieve this Jack. Why does the media let politicians get away with the BS. Call them on their promises. How are they going to pay for them? Raises taxes, cut government jobs, give less to the provinces????? What about the student loans of the engineers that build the hospitals, or the teachers that teach the doctors and nurses? Is he going to forgive their student loans as well. Careful Jack, you are walking a very thin line and opening up a huge can of worms.
  6. G L from Thunder Bay, Canada writes: My goodness Mr Layton has quite the shopping list does he not.A billion for this a billion for that and a couple of billion for those.Keeping in mind that the likelihood of Mr Layton ever being in a position to BREAK those promises is best described as not very very likely.or as I peronally like to say as much chance as a snowball in He--!
  7. Former Liberal voter from Ontario, Canada writes: *

    Jack Layton is on the right track. We can make Canada a better country. And all it takes is to re-direct monies that the Conservatives and Liberals have been giving to the big corporations and giving it to priorities Canadians want. Health care is one such priority.

    You have my vote, Jack!
  8. B M from Barrie, Canada writes: I guess it's easy to make huge empty promises when you know you will never be in a positon to have to keep them. Zero accountability. It will be very interesting to see how the NDP vote on all these issues when the new government is formed and the House of Commons gets back to work. I hope all you NDP backers will be watching closely. I know I will.
  9. B M from Barrie, Canada writes: Former Liberal voter from Ontario, Canada writes: * You have my vote, Jack! I think this is great. Many, many former Liberal suporters are shifting their vote to the NDP. Many more are shifting theirs to the Conservatives. The NDP have never and will never run this country so vote away. It's only good news for Harper.
  10. Liberals are OK ............. If you cook em long enough from Canada writes:
    That's it Wilkie - slam the NDP. That's who the Liberals are really battling.

    For second place!

    Son it will be GreenyMay.
  11. Peter Bojkov from Vaughan ON, writes: Currently, there are 1,500 foreign trained physicians in Ontario alone, who have passed the Canadian equivalency exams, and the only hurdle to their licensing is the unavailability of residence placings. The door is kept shut by the ON College of Physicians and Surgeons (supply manipulation), and the ON Liberal Govn't because of lack of funds for both opening of placings, and funds for healthcare generally. Mr layton is barking up the wrong tree. Why am I not surprised?
  12. Durward Saar from Canada writes: Alotting more space in university for doctors is far over-due, but to forgive their loans from the people is stupid and again creates two types of people in the country, those who get special treatment and the rest of us.
    Doctors make $300,000 plus, I think they can pay their loans back jack.
    First intelligent thing Jack said, then he throws it away with a socialist notion of privilages for some at the expence of others.
  13. Sober Second Thought from Canada writes: This is a stupid policy. As Peter from Vaughan notes, it is the provincial Doctor's unions that are limiting the number of students each year.
  14. J Law from Canada writes: Stan L from Canada

    Well, Stan, at least Layton and Harper could find their airplanes.
  15. J Law from Canada writes: It is easy to say you will throw millions or billions at medical systems, but if young people are just not interested in going into these fields anymore than you can throw all you want but nobody is there to catch. Who has a plan to get more young people to want to go into family prcatice?

    Aan all these people who are driving cabs who say they are doctors., what qualifications do they really have and how much more studies do they need to be able to do the job here in Canada? It may be time to look a lot harder at their qualifications. Money is not all the medical system needs and blindly throwing it at a problem with no plan is not very wise.
  16. M M from canada, Canada writes: The underlying idea is not bad, but I'm uncertain how he is going to do this since educating and licensing doctors (along with most health professionals) is a provincial responsibility. So is he giving the money to the provinces? What are the conditions of doing so since each province may have differing needs (as much as the previous Liberal governments tried to make one health care system, we actually have 13 different systems)? What happens if SK provides the spaces to train doctors, but they don't stay around to be licensed in SK, but rather go to Ontario or New York State - how will that solve the problem of family doctors in rural Saskatchewan? This is really not a problem of the lack of spaces to train doctors - to train more doctors you needs a whole investment in the infrastructure which most provinces are already addressing., The bigger issue is that our K-12 systems don't emphasis math and science enough to atttact qualfied individuals into the system to begin and then we do little if anything to retain those individuals that we do train.
  17. J. Kenneth Yurchuk from Toronto, Canada writes: Jack's idea of at least partially forgiving student loans for doctors that go into Family Practice is a good one. He should also provide incentives to those who commit to working in rural and Northern communities.

    In addition it is critical that any benefits will be witheld from any that decide to practice outside Canada.
  18. A. Nonymous from Canada writes: Yeah Peter and Sober. Let's allow anyone who has a piece of paper stating they have a medical degree from any country in the world practice medicine in Canada regardless of their ability to speak one of our official languages. And regardless of whether they know anything about medicine.

    We don't have a shortage of doctors in Canada. We're just spoiled rotten suckling at the teat of socialized medicine for all these years.
  19. Jim F from Winnipeg, Canada writes: Health care is a scam. Governments throw billions of dollars at unnecessary procedures, greedy professionals, and high-priced technology showpieces with little payoff. Post-secondary education has more impact on human health than health care, but, other than Alberta, governments of every stripe are happy to starve our universities. Total waste.
  20. J Frene from somewhere ontario, Canada writes: Here's an idea: You could save a bankful of money, buy taking the pay from the silly servants in Ottawa who get "half-a-day" or extra long weekends every couple of weeks. I'm sure just that half-a-day's pay or the extra days that get taken at either end of the "normal" work week would go a long way....or even a short way....as long as it goes somewhere towards helping. All I know, is that i DON'T pay taxes for the civil silly servants in Ottawa to have extended weekends and bi-weekly "half-a-days". Perhaps, if they actually put in an honest weeks work, SOME of what we have to have done in Canada will actually get done...unfortunately, as much as I might like to cry about a particular political party for being responsible, i can't...it's the beaurocracy that exists and remains in place from political season to political season that is to blame....
  21. J. Bergin from Canada writes: He can promise anything he wants, but there is no way he has any chance of becoming PM. The NDP destroyed Ontario when they ruled there and they would destroy Canada with their expensive social programs.
  22. Bosco . from Canada writes: Does everyone remember when Bob Rae got elected. He made tons of promises he knew he couldn't keep, but that was because he didn't think he had a snowballs chance of winning the election.

    Then he tried a new type of economic model, spend your way out of debt. Can you say failure, to the point that civil employees had to take unpaid days off to cover the short fall.

    Taliban Jack will never get elected for two reasons, one he is making promises that aren't affordable and two, Bob Rae's stint as Ontario Premier.
  23. A READER from Canada writes: There goes Jack again. Throwing out more monopoly money in an attempt to lure more votes.

    During the last election, he promised to hold Harper's feet to the fire if voters would only 'lend him their vote'. Well, it turns out Harper put Jack on the spit roast after the election.

    I hope Canadians are not dumb enough to waste their vote on the NDP again. It's time to ask for their vote back with interest.

    With the economy tanking, the NDP offers relief from ABM fees. Now, that's an effective economic policy.
  24. HARPER 178 SEATS, NDP 58, LIBS 42 BLOC 28 GREEN 2 from Canada writes: yes mr jack putin now how much funding will be going to your new police force the kgb.jack im not sure if you know this but the communist party has there own leader and there own platform although it does look just like yours my comrad .all i can say jack is you are entertaining have you thought of going into the show last comic standing. just go up give you speach and im sure you will win the contest because it is funny you thinking that you are capable to be a prime minister that is funny
  25. Peter Bojkov from Vaughan ON, writes: A. Nonymous from Canada writes: "Yeah Peter and Sober. Let's allow anyone who has a piece of paper stating they have a medical degree from any country in the world practice medicine in Canada regardless of their ability to speak one of our official languages. And regardless of whether they know anything about medicine."

    Please re-read my comment before commenting yourself. Those 1,500 foreign doctors on ON have passed ALL REQUIRED BY THE CANADIAN MEDICAL AND GOVN'T INSTITUTIONS EQUIVALENCY EXAMS.

    IN ENGLISH.

    UK's NHS accepts all foreign trained doctors who have passed the required BY UK equivalency exams. The ratio placings-candidates last year was 1:3 - a very healthy competition for each GP/NHS spot. That was made possible after a groundbreaking court decision in a court case initiated by a foreign trained doctor. A similar court decision ia awaited in BC.

    Please get your facts, and do not stoop in your comments to Layton's level.
  26. Olivia Brownbeck from Canada writes: Cathie: I think that the most important first step is to increase the number of training spots available. You could simply open that many more spots in family medicine and fewer spots in specialties that are already well covered. It is not that complicated really.
  27. J Smith from Canada writes: Part of the nursing shortage is caused by the insistence that nurses now have a bachelors degree rather than undertaking their training at a community college. Since many are now forced to get the degree they are choosing to do so in different fields. Throwing money at this problem will not make it better. There are already countless programs to encourage family and rural practice for doctors. They are just not interested. The new generation of doctors actually want to have lives (which they are entitled to of course) and are choosing areas of medicine that allow this to happen. As earlier posters have stated, the supply is tightly controlled by provincial medical associations in order to keep their bargaining position with various governments. It may sound nice but this is another politician who doesn't know what he is talking about trying to buy votes.
  28. Peter Wojnar from Hamilton, Canada writes:

    >>Layton pledges $1-billion for medical students

    Nonsense.

    Layton pledged $1 billion of your money!!
  29. Sunny Sun from Calgary, Canada writes: When Harper gave the big oils huge tax cut did you guys ask where the money come from?

    Please worry about this when you were PM.
  30. Vote for your NDP MP in the October 14, 2008 federal election from Toronto, Canada writes: This has nothing to do with taxes, how to pay for it etc..... It's simple, the NDP, will revoke corporate tax cuts to pay for it all. If we don't invest in our health care now then our seniors and future generations will suffer.

    Wake up Canadians! The status quo under a Liberal or Conservative government will not improve health care. Under their time in office, the amount of resources is stagnant while patient case loads are increasing. Also it's pathetic how universities are recruiting enough nurses and doctors (i.e in each Ontario medical school, they accept a paltry an average of 120 spaces for 2000 applicants).

    So if we don't increase the amount of investments now then society suffers as our seniors and residents won't be able to live healthy which compromises quality of life.
  31. Don Adams, the Conservative Centrist from Canada writes: J. Kenneth Yurchuk, yeah, I can sure agree with you there. I'd take it one step further... for those that go and practice outside the Country before having served 10 years in Canada.... send them a bill for the true cost of their education, less the amount already paid.

    Big part of the problem though, as we both know, is the CMA...the old boys club...wanting to maintain the high incomes. They don't want competition that will lower their incomes so don't allow enough new Dr's into the profession annually, the way I understand it, anyway.
  32. Olivia Brownbeck from Canada writes: Cathie: I think that the most important first step is to increase the number of training spots available. You could simply open that many more spots in family medicine and fewer spots in specialties that are already well covered. It is not that complicated really.
  33. J Smith from Canada writes: Actually Olivia it isn't that simple. Increasing training seats will only address the problem if there is an interest. Many are choosing to not enter the health field at all anymore. Until family practice is made an attractive option for new physicians, which it currently is not, new seats will just remain vacant. Besides when the factor in the length of time it takes to train a new nurse or new doctor, this solution will help Canadians only 5-10 years from now at the earliest. There is a need to find immediate solutions which include licensing international medical graduates, and embracing alternate providers such as nurse practitioners and physician assistants in order to deal with the shortages.
  34. Olivia Brownbeck from Canada writes: A Reader from Canada: "harper roasted Jack Layton on a spit" WHA???
    Jack and the NDP caucus stood up to Harper in the House time and again. They made Harper stop the sale of MacDonald Detweiller to a US arm dealer, protecting our sovreignty and avoiding another Avro Arrow affair. Layton got Bill c377 on climate change through a hostile parliament. After the NDP raised concerns about txt messaging charges, Prentice went out of his way to publicly rebuke the cell phone companies. While Dion has sat on his hands along with the rest of the Liberal caucus and refrained from voting on more than 40 confidence motions it was Layton and NDP MPs that vote their values and convictions and represented their constituents.
  35. garlick toast from Canada writes: Prairie Duststorm from Edmonton, Canada writes: Where the He!! is Layton getting all this money? He can promise anything and there are actually people out there that think he could deliver on these promises.

    ----------------------------------------------------------

    Well, there is that 100 million per month spent in Afganistan. "The best revenge is living well".
  36. Trillian Rand from Canada writes: One thing is pretty clear from the comments so far: our medical system is sufficiently broken that it needs overhauling, not tinkering.

    That we still have a system largely funded by the federal government, regulated provincially and administered locally means layers of competing bureaucracies, each more interested in protecting their turf than meeting the needs of their clients: sick people. Instead of adding to this confusion we need simplification, in whatever form that might take. We either take the federal government out of the equation, remove or limit provincial jurisdiction or some other alternative that puts sick people before the interests of government departments, political wrangling, bureaucratic in-fighting or anything else that interferes with the prompt and efficacious administration of medical treatment.

    The politician that puts forward such a plan would get my vote in an instant. I'm not holding my breath as most politicians put more faith in panacea than anything else. And while we argue about the relative merits of each trinket, our medical system continues it's ride to eventual failure. Thank goodness for every doctor who puts his/her patients above the mediocrity of our medical system.
  37. Olivia Brownbeck from Canada writes: OMG are there still people who try and red-bait the NDP. That is sooooo last century dudes. Maybe all you connies who do it are 75 yrs old. Anywhoooo there can be lots of interesting innovations around training. There could be an increase in nurse practitioners and mid-wives and doulas (sp?). All ways to take some of the pressure off the number of doctors required.

    In terms of paying for it: certainly part of it would be covered by axing the corporate tax cuts. If you and I have to pay our taxes so that we can benefit from roads and health care etc. so should corporation. Corporations equally benefit from this country's infrastructure and they are at an advantage in terms of health care and social programs as well. Unlike big corporations south of the border, corporations don't have they same kinds of legacy costs for their workers here in Canada. Yes they still have them but they are not as high as they are in the US.
  38. The Maestro from Canada writes: Right now very little public money goes towards training medical students. I suspect the money Layton is pledging would go to build the infrastructure to accomodate more students. More hospitals would have to be teaching hospitals, more staff would have to be trained as teachers.

    But remember, doctors do not get paid to teach medical students. That money would go to expand the facilities, perhaps to start a new school (like York University).

    Also, remember that it takes 6 years from the start of medical school to produce a family doctor, and up to 10-12 years to produce other badly needed specialists.

    THIS IS LONG-TERM PLANNING AT ITS BEST.

    Well done Jack! GO NDP
  39. Johnny Test from Pork Belly, Canada writes: Don't know how he can guarantee this given Healthcare and Education are run by the provinces. If I was running for Premier of a province I would probably offer FREE tuition for new doctors and nurses as a policy plank .. so long as upon graduation they allow the government to place them in much needed areas where doctors/nurses are in short supply for a period of 10 years. They would also have to have decent grades to continue getting funding.
  40. J. Kenneth Yurchuk from Toronto, Canada writes: Morning Don. Nice that we can agree on something for a change.
  41. Conservative for lower taxes, cheaper gas, less government from Canada writes: The medical system is way overused and abused as it is now. To suggest we need more GP's so the sytem can be further abused is rediculous. What we need is for healthy Canadians to quit abusing the medical system so we can dispurse the availble doctors more equally accross the country. We may need more operating surgons for our hospitals, as the current surgons are way over worked, but that's about it. We could have our very skilled registered nurses doing many of the tasks that GP's now do.
  42. don mazerolle from Canada writes: I think it is great that the NDP want to increase the number of medical students and are willin to spendour money to do it. The first problem I see is the newly trained Doctor an Nurses do is head t the US like so many others where the moiney is better than in Canada. Mr. Layton how are you going to fix that problem....more of our money in the form of a tax....wait Ontario already does that and it is not working.
  43. J. Bergin from Canada writes: The government should just hire and put medical students through University for the medical training (at taxpayers expense). Once the students are qualified doctors, then they must provide 5 years of service to the government and can be posted anywhere in the country where there is a need for doctors.
  44. S L from Canada writes: Before medical training, they complain that the Canadian government does not give enough money to provide enough spaces in medical school. During medical training, they complain that the Canadian government does not give enough money to train our medical students. After medical training, they complain that the government of Canada does not give enough money to compensate for the "expertise" so they all move to the US of A.

    It appears that the NDP is now prepared to give more money to tain more medical professionals so they can eventually move to the States where medical training is expensive and medical compensation is high.
  45. G M from Canada writes: If elected as PM, I will provide everyone with their own, private Hawaiian island! Not only that, but you will each get a special 4-lane highway that uses perpetual motion to get you there in the most green way possible!
  46. sherry smith from Canada writes: I say give the guy a chance. Lot's of negativity here, and knee jerk reactions, from the usual conservative haters of everything, before they even think about it.
    There are many wasteful programs out there with billions going to find a better way to kill people. Take some of that money and put it towards education for the medical field with the stipulation that for so many years they must practice in Canada. How much money have we thrown away in Afghanistan for example.
    I'm voting for Jack too.
  47. Frank C. from Toronto, Canada writes:
    I like in general the NDP approach for this election, and might end up vote for them in my riding (Liberals & NDP are neck-and-neck).

    I think we'll avoid the worst for this country (Reform/Alliance majority) if we vote in our respective ridings for the candidate with the best chance to beat the Reform candidates.

    So keep an eye on your riding; vote Green, Liberal, NDP; and let these parties talk among themselves to form a coalition gov., which should closer represent the aspirations of most Canadians: a centre to centre left Administration, with real solutions for the energy and environment problems we face.

    cheers,
    frank
  48. Howard Young from Canada writes: $200 million a year isn't a ridiculous amount of money to spend. However, spending this money is pointless because of the controls in place which controls the supply of available doctors. This will simply result in an increased restriction on the qualified group of foreign educated doctors.

    Also, it's easy not having to account for where the money will come from when you will never have make good.
  49. Al Gorman from Canada writes: Layton could pledge $1 Trillion. It's irrelevant recognizing he'll never form a government.
  50. KD Duck from Windsor, Canada writes: Layton should be fined and charged for misleading the public. This is how out of touch the NDP are.
    IT TAKES 8 YEARS TO MAKE A DOCTOR!
    How in the world can he produce 200 a year until then?
    This is a hair brained promise that has no merit and is an outright deception to get votes.
    It just is not feasable.
    Besides the Provinces have say over doctors and nurses, not the feds.
    How out of touch......
  51. Yvonne Wackernagel from Woodville, Canada writes: I would like to see SOMEBODY bring in a policy that would ensure that the taxpayers' money for the extended training of doctors (and maybe other professionals) is REPAID before they flip over to the United States for higher salaries or to private enterprise in Canada for a more lucrative job whilst they themselves get free medical services. Now that would be a good bit of legislation.
  52. Jim F from Winnipeg, Canada writes: Why do we have to subsidize their education anyway? 20%
  53. Jim F from Winnipeg, Canada writes: Why do we have to subsidize them at all? 20% of med school and residency grads leave for the US, after getting discounted education here. Docs who get recruited with huge bonuses to various provinces last an average of 3 years (with no contractual consquences, of course), and sick time claimed by nurses in Canada is equivalent to 11,000 EFT (see CIHI data). More money? Talk about demagoguery.
  54. Joe Citizen from Everytown, Canada writes: FINALLY !

    Finally a politician has addressed a REAL issue that is important to all CANADIANS.

    Millions of CANADIANS do NOT have a family doctor. Many Canadians when ill travel many miles to hospitals only to discover that there isn't even a doctor there ..... and if there is one there they often have to WAIT for HOURS to be seen.

    Out of 150 developed countries CANADA ranks near the very BOTTOM in terms of the number of DOCTORS per capita. There are former Soviet Bloc countries that have more doctors than we do.

    In France, if you get sick in the evening a doctor will actually come to your house to tend to you. IMAGINE THAT !

    Canada is one of the wealthiest nations in the world yet we are being treated like the downtrodden citizens of a third world country. WHY ?

    WHAT IS GOING ON HERE ?
  55. David C from a constant traveler from, Canada writes: Though I am not sure about Layton's idea, the dismissal from the Conservatives is more blatant. Our national healthcare strategy is not their primary concern, in fact far from it. It is easy for the CPC to dismiss something, but what would be more interesting to hear from them is their plan. And I am bearing in mind that the wait time guarantee did Sweet f-all since they did not actually commit any money or make any changes. So Conservatives, instead of just dismissing this problem, can you give us a realistic, concrete proposal of a solution? How about committing some money? Spend a hair less on the military and get some more into the system for us Canadians? IMHO, the Healthcare system was decimated by Liberal cuts and is now being ignored by the ruling cons. Want my vote, spend some of that arts money on my health.
  56. John McEnroe from Toronto, Canada writes: Durward Saar, Jack is actually trying to address the fact that so few med students are training as GPs now. They continue to study as specialists, that's one of the factors that are contributing to doctor shortages. It is a step towards improving that issue.
  57. Nathan Weatherdon from Canada writes: Interesting idea.

    Perhaps if we get really good at training doctors Canada can become a leader in the medical training industry.

    We'll need something given that the present government's shortsightedness in terms of promoting development of energy production that can support growth well into the future.

    As it stands, it's all but certain that Canada will be left well behind in international markets for energy production infrastructure.

    A sort of different story, but perhaps this new doctor training could be contingent on some certain number of years of service in Canada.
  58. Howard Young from Canada writes: If they made general practioner experience a requirement before becoming a specialist that would help address the issue.
  59. J. Bergin from Canada writes: For all I care, he can pledge one billion to each and every medical student, he will still end up in third place and will never be Prime Minister.
  60. David Gehring from Kingston, Ontario, Canada writes: First of all, does this mean that medical and nursing schools will lower their admissions standards and recruit less qualified students? Second, is there any guarantee that the increased number of doctors and nurses won't leave Canada to take a job in the US or overseas (like many have done already)? Third, does this mean that the foreign trained doctors that have immigrated to Canada will continue to have the door closed on them by the CMA? Fourth, won't the extra $200M/year just lead to fancier offices and larger salaries for the unionized public service staff (as is the norm for all NDP spending sprees)? The NDP never had their act together and even if they fulfilled this promise, they are certain to bungle it.
  61. Alastair james Berry from Nanaimo BC, Canada writes: It's not money that stops Doctors remaining in the PROFESSION! Conditions of WORK are becoming INTOLERABLE!! THERE ARE JUST TOO MANY TORT LAWYERS HOVERING AROUND EACH Dr.'s OFFICE........... Medical Knowledge is incomplete - today we know perhaps only 1/1,000,000 th of what is out there YET COURTS, TORT LAWYERS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC EXPECT DOCTORS TO BE INFALLIBLE! If you want more Doctors in Canada you have to CAP MALPRAXIS CLAIMS AT $50,000 FOR A DEATH! Either that or MEDICAL TREATMENT will become unaffordable! These TORT LAWYERS ARE PARASITIC AND SUCK RESOURCES OUT OF THE MEDICAL BUDGET TO THE ADVANTAGE ONLY OF THE LEGAL PROFESSION! Medicine has become politicized......... and the doctors become mere pawns in the game....... and they know only too well that there IS A TWO TIER SYSTEM in existance already!! Priority for Politicians and others in the know like popular sports personalities and a second system charactered by long delays and ever more expensive drugs and premiums. The Doctors get the blame, but in socialized medicine they cannot change the rules. What is the future? Pay as you go! Pay an insurance premium against malpraxis! Use older and frequently better and cheaper therapies. I THINK THE GOVERNMENT WILL ONLY "SPRING" FOR EMERGENCY CARE TO SAVE LIFE OR LIMB IN THE NEAR FUTURE!
  62. His Ice Anvil from Toronto, Canada writes:

    Imagine there's no Liberals
    It's easy if you try
    No socialists in Parliament
    Above us only sky
    Imagine all the people
    Living for today...

    Imagine there's no Liberals
    It isn't hard to do
    No one to steal your money
    And raise your taxes too
    Imagine all the people
    Living life in peace...

    You may say I'm a dreamer
    But I'm not the only one
    I hope some day you'll join us
    And there'll be no more Liberal scum

    Imagine no possessions
    I wonder if you can
    'Cause it would soon be happening
    Under Dion's 'Green Shaft' Plan
    Imagine all the people
    Living in the street...

    You may say I'm a dreamer
    But I'm not the only one
    I hope some day you'll join us
    And there'll be no more Liberal scum
  63. Sassy Lassie from Canada writes: Liberal Policies killed the fishing industry in the East, now Dion wants to revive the dead? The stench of desperation is over whelming.
  64. rahim ladha from montreal, Canada writes: How about just making the licensure and pay more competitive to retain 30% graduates who rush off to greener pastures in US
  65. Cruthin Clan from Brampton, Canada writes: I tried this earlier and it didn't go through so let's try again. The NDP's killed the medical in Ontario when in charge by paying the universities to NOT take students as Bob Rae figured we were on the verge of a surplus.
  66. Yvonne Wackernagel from Woodville, Canada writes: "Alastair james Berry from Nanaimo BC, Canada writes: It's not money that stops Doctors remaining in the PROFESSION! Conditions of WORK are becoming INTOLERABLE!! THERE ARE JUST TOO MANY TORT LAWYERS HOVERING AROUND EACH Dr.'s OFFICE........... "

    =================================================

    Whilst I think we should definitely have very stringent regulations, I think most people would be surprised if they were ever to take the time to invesitgate the medical ligation files; this type of thing is usually kept under wraps as much as possible
  67. steve allan from Canada writes: It's a good idea but it should come with a caveat - if you go to medical school in Canada and you leave the country less than seven years after graduating, you should be required to make financial reparations to Canadian taxpayers.

    Why should taxpayers subsidize the education of doctors who leave to practice in other countries?
  68. Gus Lake Ease from Thornhill, Canada writes: The problem of the "lack of family doctors" hides the prescindibility of the family doctors.
    Why do every one needs a family doctor?
    If you have back pain, you go to the traumatologyst.
    If you have something on your skin, you go to the dermathologyst.
    If you have pain in the chest, you should go to the cardiologyst, just in case.
    If happens that you went to the wrong specialist, this doctor should send you to the correct one.
    If you don't know where to go, go to the hospital and there you will receive information.
    Family phisycians are just another expensive obstacle to have the things done.
    Change their speciality to Clinical Doctors, to do whathever yearly analysis when there is a need.

    Cheers
  69. P B from Vancouver, Canada writes: In principle Jack Layton's idea is a good one but the NDP always come up with these ideas without actually looking at the cost to tax payers. Therein lies the NDP's major fault - economics. What guarantees would the Dippers give to tax payers that once trained these students wouldnt go overseas ie the US where they can earn more money? Hardly fixing our healthcare system, Jack! Lets face facts - socialised medicine is not working in Canada. Its time for a better two-teir system. Either that, or send someone to Sweden to see how well their private/public system works. Basically the government pays private hospitals to do the work for them. The government owns no hospitals, does not maintain the hospitals etc etc. Seems to work for Swedes, why not us?
  70. Trudeau's Apricot poodle from Canada writes: The usual socialist rhetoric, do they never tire of trying to convince others that nanny knows best? Next time there is a provincial NDP government, use it as a demonstration on how socialism could work for the betterment of the citizens, not as a cash sink for vacuous political navel gazing.
  71. Chris Lalonde from Singapore writes: SOCIALISM IS DEAD!!! The NDP Party is not relevant anymore. Asia whose economies are soaring has embraced conservatism and for the most part ignored socialism. Even Europe and Scandanavia (with low corporate taxes) has had an enough of socialisms. Time for this party to just curl up and die...
  72. HRC thought police from Canada writes: Of interest : -- News: Tories not finished getting tough on criminals ------------"I think we've had 30 to 40 years of a view that the central purpose of the criminal justice system is the welfare of the criminal," he said. "I'm not saying there's no merit to rehabilitation ... But the first priority of the criminal justice system is the protection of the law-abiding citizens, their family and their property." ----- http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/CanadaVotes/News/2008/09/14/6762791-sun.html
  73. Ob Server from Canada writes: For anyone tempted to consider voting for the NDP, consider this:
    In Ontario, we're still trying to recover from the Bob Rae experiment....almost 2 decades ago...and it's been downhill ever since. As if that wasn't enough or as if the lesson was not learned well enough, Torontonians elected another bunch of socialists aka the Miller crew. And what a crew they are....intent on making sure every non-NDP voter has fled to another place or another planet before 2010 when without a doubt they'll win again to finish off their demolition. Before you vote, ask yourself just one question: Am I ok with sending lots more taxes to Ottawa to cover all these mindless promises?
  74. Lyn Alg from Canada writes: The NDP is looking better each day. I have always been a staunch Conservative supporter but with Stephanie's record and his untrustworthiness I just may vote for the NDP for the first time in my life.
  75. Lance M from Canada writes: The creation of more spaces at medical and nursing schools is a necessary one as our demographics change and more elderly citizens require greater care. Having said that, we may need to reduce the pay that the medical professions currently enjoy while simaultaneously decreasing their work loads. If the average physician was only responsible for 500 patients instead of 2000 or more (as is too often the case) then pay should reflect that. Are people in the medical field to make money or to play a role in society as healers and benefactors? The work they do is extremely important and the training required is lengthy and complex. We want our best minds and hearts aspiring to these positions however the means to fund their schooling and salaries must also exist. We have grown used to high salaries for these positions but a time is coming soon when they will see their wages reduced to the equavilent of those who worked in the 1920s, a middle class income but not affluent, the same could be said for a lot of our professions that have enjoyed ever increasing wages over the years, but without the tax base to support them, adjustments will need to be made by all of us. The transition will be challenging but oppurtunites exist for us all to build a society that continues to be the Peaceable Kingdom where we continue to enjoy a liberal democracy that is both prosperous and healthy. A billion dollars spent on new positiosn in medical schools may need to be interpretted as part of future wages for those medical school graduates...
  76. Ed Long from Canada writes: This is not a criticism, but is this not the basis of medical care in Cuba ... sufficient GPs to provide everybody with regular access to a doctor?

    The kicker is ... we must require they practice in Canada, or even the province of their graduation otherwise the money is wasted.

    GPs become plentiful and accessible, education subsidized, practices regulated for first ten years.

    Yup, I like it .... definitely not a CPC plank.

    See, NDP opposition to a CPC government can stimulate some great ideas.
  77. Kerry H from Kingston, Canada writes: Oh My God Jackie Boy.. Thats 9 million in less then 2 days.. How you gonna pay for this Jackie??? The Cons have already wasted the 9 million surplus they were handed.. What ya gonna do Jackie Boy???
  78. Mike Mike from Canada writes: Yep, we sure need more unqualified, useless doctors that can't and don't want to do anything to help.
  79. John Hinkley from Canada writes: Jack's mouth is always way ahead of his mind - assuming of course that he thinks before he speaks.

    I too ask - where does Jack think that this money will come from?
  80. ImaCANADIAN ! from Canada writes: This guy Harper really has a lot of nerve to say "it's far from clear where they would get all this money to spend billions and billions of dollars at a time of economic uncertainty."

    Jack Layton is getting to the root of the problem, the lack of doctors and nurses, and is allocating $325-million a year to fix the problem that is the #1 concern to the Canadian public.

    Harper meanwhile is spending billions of dollars on military operations in Afghanistan and on war machines for Afghanistan - billions and billions of dollars, not only wasted, but taken out of the Canadian economy forever, at a time of economic uncertainty.

    Six months ago, the estimate was that Afghanistan had already cost $7.5 billion over 6 years. The taxpayer bill is probably well over $8 billion by now. And Harper's latest 2 year and 10 month extension to 2011, that Canadians have repeatedly indicated they do not want, will probably cost Canadian taxpayers at least another $3.5 billion.

    If the Canadian public asserts itself and says no to Harper's latest extension past February 2009, the $3.5 billion saved right there would pay for 10 years of Jack Layton's proposed healthcare program.
    Bringing our troops home in February 2009 would also save the lives of about 100 Canadians, save millions in financial support for their families, save hundreds from permanent disability and PTSD, and save more millions in the cost to treat and support them.
  81. Shawn G from Canada writes: Where did Jack get his homework of how to solve the family doctor shortage?? Spending 1 billion dollars which we don't have isn't the solution. We already have incentives of family doctors to relocate to rural and northern areas. The problem is that family practice isn't attractive to new doctors. The billing system doesn't reward a doctor to set up a family practice as the fee for visit isn't worth the time and overhead. Thus, new family doctors opt to to work temporary locums and walk-in clinics where the fee for service is rewarding to the time they put into work. Furthermore, they have the flexibility to take time off and not the stress of following their patients. If newly trained doctors truly picked their profession based on their student debt, wouldn't they choose a residency program that is short so they could enter the work force in 2 years vs the 5-6 years for a specialty???

    If he wants to make more family doctors, you have to make the profession attractive and restructure the entire fee schedule for billing.

    Furthermore, where do people get the stats of 20-30% new doctors going to the states???
  82. Crusty Curmudgeon from Ottawa, Canada writes:

    Yes, by all means spend more money on training -- so that when they are trained the best and brightest can leave for the US -- another NDP wet dream.

    Spend spend spend.

  83. Anthony B from Maritimes, Canada writes: Prairie Duststorm from Edmonton, Canada writes: "Where the He!! is Layton getting all this money?"

    Same place Harper is getting his....your tax dollars. Same money, different promises.

    Or perhaps you thought Stevie was getting a cheque from Warren Buffet.
  84. Jeff Smyth from Canada writes: I haven't read all the post but how many made reference to Jack Layton bring his pinky finger slowly to his mouth as Dr. Evil in Austin Powers.
    Here's a novel idea, use some of our tax dollars as a credit to help lower the cost of sports for kids and promote a healthy lifestyle. Oh wait a minute the guy who's going to win has already doen that.
  85. R. M. from Regina, Canada writes: Oh that's brilliant...forgive student loans to medical students who will earn plum incomes and drive Porsches sooner and have no problem finding employment. In addition, just a guess mind you, but I bet the majority of medical students aren't coming from disadvantaged families....just a wild guess mind you...could be wrong there.
  86. skeptical Observer from Canada writes: this is a good idea, there are many extremely well qualified people who go overseas and get an md there and practise there.. Many of our best and brightest are going to the best medical schools in britain,ireland, australia and the usa, only because there are a shortage of seats here in canada.
  87. Keating Gun from Canada writes: Mr. Layton means well but health care is grossly mismanaged. The ample numbers of doctors we have need to be redistributed somewhat, perhaps with the province offering incentives to settle in small towns, or teleconfernecing for minor appointments. However, alternative specialists such as naturopaths who are so successful with chronic illnesses, are what we actually need more of. Allopathy or symptom removal (ie modern medicine) is great for accidents and infection, but not for most 21st century conditions. I hope Mr. Layton lays off those OMA studies.
  88. Richard Stanczak from Corunna, Ontario, Canada writes: A billion? Sounds low to me. But don't get me wrong, I am for this idea. This is a good long term answer to one of the big problems facing our country.

    Where would we get the money? Lets see, how much are we spending in Afghanistan and NATO? Put those billions to work for Canadians.

    And to those who would say I am anti-military, I am. Unfortunately they are a necessary institution. The military should be redirected to defend our borders, not join in US proxy wars.
  89. scamp the from Canada writes:
    " Health care is a scam. Governments throw billions of dollars at unnecessary procedures, greedy professionals, and high-priced technology showpieces with little payoff."

    absolutely right. The sad reality is Canadians, especially the poor, are fooled into supporting this. As if they benefit from doctors being paid hundreds of thousands of dollars. Do we really think we need family doctors? Nurse practitioners work just as well... just look at Washington state where they can practice without a doctor.

    No doubt someone is going to say well they go to school for 10 years blah blah. Well don't blame us because the college of physicians has needlessly long requirements. In many countries in the world (Britian...) you go straight into medical school from high school. British doctors are just as good.

    Quite frankly. Healthcare is what it is. It's a guaranteed money maker for health professionals. It's sad I can't opt out of this scam.

    All I can say is, who is going to pay for all this. With healhcare being such a guaranteed way to make money, who in their right mind is going to be running our private sector? I can pretty much guarantee you in 5 years, the quality of our engineers, accountants, software... because no student will be stupid enough to enter those fields given the guaranteed jobs in healthcare.

    The Canadian economy is dead.
  90. scamp the from Canada writes:
    The healthcare industry is basically a Kleptocracy.

    A way to funnel money from our pockets to theirs.
  91. Michael Globen from Toronto, Canada writes: I just heard that Layton and the NDP are promising 1 million dollars to each Canadian over 18 years of age to help jump start the economy. This happens only if they win the election.

    I am certainly going to vote for them because I am sure that they have worked out the economics and have a solid budget in place.

    Any promise form these guys can surely be trusted as they are reposnisible and ready to lead....YEAH RIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  92. Absolutely Right from Canada writes: You might not care if you have a family doctor or access to a specialist for months but I certainly do. I have been without a family physican for quite some time. The best I can do is go to a clinic where they don't really give a dam.

    I am a tired of my regional health authority plundering other countries physcians. The great Canada robbing some countires of very deparately needed physicans. I't's time to start training Canadians to become physicans. Sooner or later our well of foreign physicans will dry up. Then we will be without the infrastructure i