Behind election smokescreen: Canada’s elite prepares all-out assault on Medicare

[Hannah Bell]

Even as the population is purportedly determining through the May 2 election the policies Canada’s government will pursue in the years ahead, big business is outlining the real agenda that will be implemented by the political elite.

Chief among its priorities is an assault on what remains of the welfare state and especially the universal public health insurance system, Medicare.

During the election campaign and in the months that preceded it, a parade of business leaders and business lobby groups, rightwing think tanks, retired politicians, newspaper editorialists and academics has demanded that Canadians hold “an adult conversation” on health care.

What is meant by this is not difficult to discern: Claiming that the existing public health care system is financially “unsustainable,” big business and its ideological representatives are demanding that responsibility for funding health care be shifted in large measure from the state to individuals and their families. Furthermore, in the name of “efficiency,” they are pressing for private, for-profit companies to be given a much greater role in the provision of medical services.

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2011/may2011/cana-m02.shtml

[Hannah Bell]

1. k

[iverglas]

2. well ... the World Socialist Web Site?

Hm. ;)

Not that this isn't worth paying attention to. But the sky isn't falling yet. Getting any significant proportion of the Cdn population to support privatized health care delivery would be quite a feat. The Conservative Party can count on a large segment of the older population to keep voting for it virtually no matter what, but even they might deserte that ship.

In just over 12 hours we should have a good idea of whether the sky is at risk of falling!

[rurallib]

3. especially with such an example of what privatized health care

looks like so close at hand in the US.

[laundry_queen]

5. Yep

I have many Con relatives (of that segment you mentioned) that would desert that party in droves if they touch health care. We've talked about it.

Not going to happen.

[Hannah Bell]

4. kik for the elections

[Amonester]

6. If so, Quebec will 'probably' become a sovereign country very...

soon....