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You would be astonished at the number of folks who drive down from Thunder Bay for care in an American hospital.

I'm not even surprised much less astonished. I know it to be true.

I had a long discussion with a Canadian guy who used to be in my golf foursome 10 yrs ago or so. He always waxed poetic about his homeland and their superior systems up there. He particularly loved the so called health care system.

When I asked him why his sister was in a Detriot hospital, he said she needed surgury. I replied that I was sorry, but that wasn't my question, what I meant was, why isn't she in a hospital closer to home. He sheepishly replied that she coundn't get into one. They were afraid she might die while she waited.

I felt sorry for him, but he never could bring himself to admit the real problem.

As an aside, I once asked him why he lived in the states. He admitted that he couldn't find a job at home.

He said he loved this country despite it's shortcomings. When I asked if he was going to become a citizen, he said no, he didn't want to give up his entitlements at home.

Same reason Mexicans come here. Sad as hell.

There have been incidents of sick people being driven around from hospital to hospital up here in Ontario from time to time, that is definately no lie. The reason behind that had more to do with the Ontario gov't cutting costs in the 90's than anything else. Although there are some serious issues with regards to socialised medicine. I think that this issue, along with several others, I.e. gun control, are things America should look at when considering such measures for themselves. Canada is very much a microcosm of the U.S. But plain and simply, if socialised medicine is failing in a small country such as ours, which hasn't really been proven, then the Yanks should take notice, because there's certainly cause for alarm, so I wouldn't blame them for using us as an example - it's only prudent. In the long run, should socialised medicine prove to be a failed endeavour in such a small nation, I can't imagine it could ever work in a nation as massive as the U.S.

I visit Canada three or four times a year. Calgary, Regina and Toronto for the most part. I learned a while back that the health care issue is not a good discussion topic, mainly because my Canadian counterparts believe they're not getting a fair shake from their own government. They don't needed to be reminded by us Yanks.