Manning and Harris propose scrapping Canada Health Act, rebuilding U.S. relations

National Post ^ | 14 April 2005 | Norma Greenaway

[shrinkermd]

OTTAWA - Preston Manning and Mike Harris, two prominent Conservatives, have sketched a vision for Canada that includes a new customs agreement with the United States and a dramatically revamped health care system.

The two former politicians released a report yesterday that also calls for a tight rein on government spending and deep tax cuts as part of a strategy they say is aimed at giving Canada the highest quality of life in the world.

"We believe that Canada is being held back by an absence of national vision and ill-advised public policies," they said in the report, "A Canada Strong and Free."

[shrinkermd]

The present political problems in Canada suggest a change is possible in their politics. Worse alternative is Canada becomes Balkanized and like the EU becomes a currency without a country. The best alternative is the Canadian patriots step forward and do what Manning and Harris are suggesting.

[CasearianDaoist]

Or we could just absorb them. They can keep quebec and Urban Ontario.

It will probably happen before the century is out.

[doc30]

I agree with you 100%. Unfortunately, the people I know will blindly follow the Liberals over whatever bridge they will jump from. They are scared of the CPC because they are conservative, not conservative-lite lie the old Tories. And any merntion of changing the helth system will kill any hope of winning elections. Health care is expected to be free for life in the Canadian psyche and people brag about how it's the example the rest of the world should follow. Getting into peoples heads that centralized planning wrt sociualized medicine is a system that will unlimitly collapse. Even though Canadians can't avoid the cracks in the system, they assume more government spending will solve the problem. They don't care about high taxes becasue they think it is worth it. I saw this as an escapee from Canada.

[day10]

What? Socialized medicine doesn't work? I am shocked - SHOCKED!

[frankiep]

I read the first sentence real quick at first and thought that it said Peyton Manning. I was wondering what the hell was going on and why the Colts QB was so concerned about Canada lol

[Free AB]

When 24% of the canada's employed work directly for the government (does not include suppliers, ad agencies, consultants etc.) change is not ever likely. After all how many will bite the hand that feeds them?

[robertpaulsen]

And they can start by eliminating their government approved and government supplied "medical" marijuana.

[upcountryhorseman]

I would like to see the western provinces become a part
of the U. S. They don't buy into this Toronto socialism.

[WinOne4TheGipper]

Me too.:)

[Heartofsong83]

Notice that Toronto had always rejected Mike Harris even when he was doing really well everywhere else...including the suburbs surrounding Toronto.

[NorthOf45]

You pay for health by taxes or by investing in health insurance ... either way you pay. Most people here just don't get it.

[goldstategop]

In their dreams. The Canada Health Act and single payer health care is what differentiates Canada's approach to social issues from the U.S. And Canadians don't want to merge with the U.S. Look for the Liberals to pick up votes in Ontario over the Manning-Harris proposal.

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)

[goldstategop]

Toronto and the Golden Horseshoe will go big for the Liberals. They will use this proposal as proof the Conservatives want to change Canada into a carbon copy of the U.S and only the Liberals can preserve a separate sense of Canadian national identity.

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)

[Heartofsong83]

That's the strategy the Fiberals are working on...hopefully they will be isolated by strong Conservative results everywhere else...

[Nicholas Conradin]

Read or download the entire report at http://www.fraserinstitute.ca/shared/readmore.asp?sNav=pb&id=746

[shrinkermd]

Free AB: I would like a reference if you have one handy.

[Heartofsong83]

That would be the best alignment - Toronto area would be an isolated city-state (like Singapore) surrounded by the US in all directions...

[rasblue]

Alberta, BC and Quebec will slowly break away from the Canada Health Act. The Act is just a sop for Ontarian socialist class-envy tendencies anyways.

Remember only Cuba, North Korea and Canada do not allow a private component in health care. Even mega rich socialist Norway allows private care, and they can afford a cradle-to-grave system because of oil revenues.

[rasblue]

And they can start by eliminating their government approved and government supplied "medical" marijuana.

Marijuana legislation is one place where America can't preach. I love America, I'm an American, but the marijuana laws in the US are insane. Marijuana is obviously used by social conservatives as a symbol for greater social and societal blame and degradation, but thats not an excuse. When you have some of the most liberal (Oregon), and some of the most conservative states in the Union (Montana) vote for medical marijuana and the Feds arrogantly reject the will of the people, that is just plain immoral. Disrespect of states rights is a big failure of GWB in my book.

[robertpaulsen]

"Disrespect of states rights is a big failure of GWB in my book."

So let's restore states rights, and let's start with ..... marijuana! I don't think so.

"and the Feds arrogantly reject the will of the people"

Whoa! The people and their state legislators are the ones ignoring the U.S. Constitution -- the Supremacy Clause is quite clear on which is the prevailing law. And here I thought these legislators took an oath to honor and defend that document.

"that is just plain immoral"

No. What is immoral is the scam being played on the American people by those who wish to legalize "medical" marijuana. What's medical about it? No major medical organization supports smoked marijuana. Studies are incomplete, at best. Its analgesic properties are anecdotal.

Those who wish to legalize marijuana are using the sick and dying as pawns. They hope that "medical" marijuana will be the camel's nose under the tent. They couldn't care less if marijuana helped a patient or not.