New poll shows Canadians overwhelmingly support public health care

[Karmadillo]

http://www.pnhp.org/news/2009/august/new_poll_shows_canad.php

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Aug. 12, 2009

Contact:
Michael McBane, national coordinator, Canadian Health Coalition, [phone], www.medicare.ca

OTTAWA, Canada — In a last-ditch effort to convince Canadians that their public health care system should be privatized, Canadian Medical Association (CMA) President Robert Ouellet has promised to “pull out all the stops” during the association’s annual meeting next week. Trouble is, Ouellet’s mission to lead the change to privatization is exactly the opposite of what 86 percent of Canadians want.

A new poll conducted by the Toronto-based Nanos Research points to overwhelming support — 86.2 percent — for strengthening public health care rather than expanding for-profit services.

“With more than 8 in 10 Canadians supporting public solutions to make public health care stronger, there is compelling evidence that Canadians across all demographics would prefer a public over a for-profit health care system,” said Nik Nanos, president of Nanos Research.

Nanos Research was commissioned by the Canadian Health Coalition (CHC), a nonpartisan group that supports Canada’s public health system, to conduct a random telephone survey of 1,001 Canadians between April 25 and May 3. The margin of accuracy for a sample of 1,001 is ±3.1 percentage points.

Meanwhile, Canada’s government just released a report titled “Healthy Canadians — A Federal Report on Comparable Health Indicators 2008.” Its findings almost identically mirror the CHC polling results. In that report, a leading indicator points to the fact that “Most Canadians (85.2 percent) aged 15 years and older reported being ‘very satisfied’ or ‘somewhat satisfied’ with the way overall health care services were provided, unchanged from 2005.”

Michael McBane, national coordinator of the CHC, commented: “Throughout our campaign, Canadians have told us they want to keep our health care system public and to improve it with made-in-Canada solutions. They also have told us they flat-out reject Dr. Ouellet’s proposal to provide us with American-style, two-tier medicine. This poll certainly underlines that for us. Eighty-six percent is a significant portion of the population. It is striking that Dr. Ouellet could be so out of touch with the pulse of most Canadians.”

more...

[sharesunited]

1. I've never met a Canadian who didn't think Health Canada was a marvelous amenity.

And who didn't feel abject pity for Americans and our disgraceful system.

[BlueIdaho]

2. So surprise there...

NO industrialized nation on this planet wants to copy our health care system. Every Canadian I talk to just laughs and shakes their heads when we compare health care systems. The same is true with my friends in the UK too.

[SoCalDem]

3. I we were 30 years younger, we would move to canada

If buying property there conveyed residency/eligibility we would still go, in a heartbeat. For many people it could be the difference between life and death

The US is getting "suck-ier" by the minute:)

[BlueIdaho]

5. I'm 57 am I too old?

I'd still move there.

[SoCalDem]

6. There's a "test" , of sorts that must be "passed", in order to get to emigrate

The older you are the harder it is:(

[reprehensor]

4. No surprise.

Yeah, Canadians are just flowing over the border to pay through the nose for elective surgery.

Universal health care is do-able and affordable.

[slipslidingaway]

7. knr rec # 3 - for now anyway n/t

[Echo In Light]

11. I posted this yesterday, received little notice

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x6292551

[Karmadillo]

12. Apparently single payer posts are made by whiners. The unspecified plan

that will eventually emerge from the Congress with or without a public option and with or without backdoor deals with pharmaceuticals and hospitals is what we're supposed to be enthusiastically supporting.

[slipslidingaway]

16. Well I see that I recommended it, but never came back for the kick..

unfortunately several of the SP threads get unrecommended and therefore do not receive more views.

:(

[GliderGuider]

8. Watching the "health care" debate going on south of the border

Is going to harden Canadian support four our system. the last thing we want is for our health to be held hostage by the same corporations that are subverting the will of the people in your country.

[Karmadillo]

9. The sad thing is how easy and cost-free it is to subvert that will.

nt

[CTyankee]

10. Publishing these polls gets us NOWHERE.

People in this country aren't listening and don't care or just don't believe them. All they want to do is have their imaginary fears stirred up, their prejudices rankled yet another time, their denial kept intact.

We liberals are being held hostage in an insane asylum called the USA. The people don't give a shit. We're wasting our time being rational and making sense...

[ipaint]

15. 58% of americans want medicare for all.

That number is despite the overwhelming 24/7 media propaganda to the contrary.
It's not the people it's the leadership void. From 1972 when Kennedy tabled single payer in favor of a “health maintenance strategy” and in 1992 when clinton tabled it for “managed competition” to today where obama tabled it in favor of what now appears to be a "privatized public option".
No leadership.

Canadians were lucky to have Tommy Douglas who paved the way for their health care system. He wasn't a centrist nor was he willing to concede to for profit insurance companies.

Unfortunately many on the left believe that the insurance companies are all powerful, insurmountable entities which must be placated with human sacrifices in order for some to get care. Meanwhile the insurance companies are scared shitless that the american people will rise up and demand an end to their control over access to health care.

Liberals are holding themselves hostage.

[loyalkydem]

13. How many

people want to bet repuks will spin this against them.

[TexasObserver]

14. Recommend