Isn't Canadian healthcare managed on the provincial level?
Yes, and that's one of the reasons it's hard to get an accurate picture of what is really happening. Each Province is different . All the Canadian Gov't does is enforce the Canada Health Act and is suppose to contribute 50% of costs . The reality is it contributes less than 20 . Hospitals are run by an administrator who is paid by the hospital board , not the government . The government does not offer any medical advice , it only pays for the service. Groups like the Conservative Frazer Institute take every opportunity to be critical . Of a Liberal run system . It's usually justified , trouble is , it gets exaggerated .
The long wait for an MRI can be an exaggeration. Depending on where one lives and the reason for the MRI . I know a lady , suffering from a concussion , who had one and another a day later . I also know a 34 year old who had to pay $700 for one in a private clinic because he required it for insurance reasons . But then he called one day and had it the next.