Is He Serious About Health Care and How We Should Embrace a Referendum on Quebec Sovereignty Instead of Cringing at it

Earlier today, CJAD’s Trivia Show co-host and writer, Dan Laxer posted a comment on his Facebook page.  Here it is verbatim:

Wait a minute. Did you just say referendum? Those are expensive, aren’t they? Does this mean we’ll have to make cuts to health and education again, sacrifice the infrastructure, and shelve plans to fix the bridges? Ok, then. I’ll start working a question.

Seriously?

Ordinarily I have respect for Dan. He’s funny and unlike those uptight right wingnutz, he actually brought some sanity to the station.  However, it’s statements like the above that make me cringe and ask questions, especially now in light of  Skippy and Stevie’s Unfair Elections Act (seriously, I urge all to tie themselves to a chair and take the time to read all 249 pages of this–it is a threat to our democracy).  Before I go ahead with that topic, I have a few questions for Dan and those who would agree with the above statement.

About Health Care Argument, Nothing More Than a Red Herring?

If you care so much about health care, how come you’re not protesting Stevie Spiteful’s 36 billion ++ in cuts to health care transfer payments to the province?  How come so many voted for Stevie knowing full well how his dream was to scrap our universal health care and his admiration for the predatorily convoluted  American health care system?  And no, it’s not the “hidden agenda”, it’s all out in plain view for anyone who would bother to read everything he’s said on the subject.

“We also support the exploration of alternative ways to deliver health care. Moving toward alternatives, including those provided by the private sector, is a natural development of our health care system.”

- Stephen Harper, Toronto Star, October 2002.

“What we clearly need is experimentation with market reforms and private delivery options [in health care].”

- Stephen Harper, then President of the NCC, 2001.

“I know this is a dangerous subject. My advisors say don’t talk about it, but the fact is sometimes provinces have allowed in the past few years, they’ve brought in private services covered by public health insurance… Why do I care and why do we care as a federal government how they’re managed? What we care about is whether people can access them. This is just an ideological agenda.”

- Conservative leader Stephen Harper at the leadership debate, June 15th 2004, conceding that he shouldn’t talk about his positive view of privatization of health care.

Also, Stevie’s support for American health care system, as he wrote on Dr. David Gratzer’s book jacket of Code Blue :

David Gratzer ‘proposes workable solution’ for ‘government-controlled health care monopoly, Canada needs Gratzer’s new prescription,’ said Prime Minister Stephen Harper about Mr. Gratzer’s recommendations for a form of private medical savings accounts popular in the U.S. in a review of his book Code Blue .

See, boys n girls? It’s as plain as day.

Let’s also remember that our former premier Johnny-boy cut health care and social services about a year before he was voted out of office.  On the flip side, he spent more on the growing private for profit health care at the expense of medicare.  Please take note that should ol’ Dr Phil Couillard were to take office, we would do well to remember his past as a private for profit health care lobbyist and how he was pushing the envelope on conflict of interest in his last days of political office before leaving in 2008.  For those who need a reminder, here it is in further sordid detail.  Health care would be worse under him.

Knowing what the Quebec Liberal Party and Stevie Spiteful’s views on universal health care, I have to wonder if health care spending in Dan’s above statement is nothing more than a red herring? You know, in much the same way ol’ Joey Oliver and Deficit Jimbo Flaherty say that pipelines and tar sands will pay for social programs when in reality, their party’s aim is to cut any and all social safety nets, in particular health care.  If Dan is serious about health care, why aren’t he and his friends seriously not fighting for health care?

There Should be no Price for Democracy and How it Should be Welcomed,  Including a Referendum on Quebec Sovereignty

Yes, Dan wonders aloud about the cost of a potential referendum on Quebec sovereignty. Seriously? There should be no nickel and diming when it comes to democracy.  A potential referendum on Quebec Sovereignty is a democratic exercise and it should be embraced, not something to bitch about.

I love how much of the Angryphone set have their knee jerk reactions — that Parti-Quebecois election victories and potential referendums on sovereignty seem to mean automatic separation at the stroke of a pen to hear them go on.

A referendum is democratic and it is up to us to go vote accordingly. It’s really not rocket science and it’s not lifting 50++ lbs of crates. It’s exercising your right to vote.  That’s it.

When I hear bitching about a potential referendum,  I find it infuriating, especially in light of the Voter Suppression Act of Stevie and Skippy Poiliever .   Do you all prefer that?

The Quebec Elephant in the Canadian Room

Another reason a potential referendum on Quebec sovereignty should be welcomed sooner rather than later is  that the last one, nearly 20 years ago, produced such a close result. Far from definitive. We are still not patriated into the Federal Constitution.  As a result, Quebec and it’s place within or without Canada is in limbo. Many complain about how Quebec is unstable, well, for an attempt at stability,  some hard work would be required.  Yes, either Quebec has to be patriated into the Constitution or it must separate. It cannot remain this way forever.  It will be the only way to put the question of Quebec’s place within or without Canada to rest.

The Likelihood of a Referendum Anytime Soon is Slim to None

Pauline Marois can talk referendum all she likes these days and it is kind of funny to watch corporate Anglo media like the Montreal Gazette (owned by Post Media who seem to be in bed with big oil and gas lobby , by the by, talk about an affront to democracy, why no outrage?) all go cuckoo for cocoa puffs at the very idea of referendum talk, but boys n girls, it ain’t a happenin’ anytime soon.   She is the most unpopular leader the Parti-Quebecois has ever had and that is unlikely to change anytime soon.  The knives have been out for her in her own party for as long as I can remember.   As such, she has a minority and that is the best she can hope for in the next provincial election, whenever that may be.  Unless Frankie Legault and CAQ support a call for a referendum which is unlikely, at least anytime in the foreseeable future, she doesn’t have the numbers to actually call one.

So go back to sleep if you must, but I don’t recommend it.  Start fighting to maintain democracy which is shrivelling under the Harpercons.

Start fighting to maintain universal health care if you really are serious about maintaining it, but if   don’t stop using it as a red herring to slam things you don’t like.

Some Other Thoughts

About those bridges

Those are under Federal jurisdiction. Not provincial.

About Education

Start lobbying the provincial government to stop subsidizing private schools at the expense of public schools, which currently happens.

Also, he should’ve supported the student strike. That was about affordable education.