Canada

Myths about the Canadian single payor system got their start decades ago, and don’t reflect current realities like the erosion of Medicare, which two decades ago feature a ratio of 75% governmental care to 25% private care. That ratio is now 68.7% to 31.3% and private expenditures are expected to grow by 5% annually as the government share declines and is privatized.

Even Canadian health care researchers are waving red flags before their own politicians about the ignorance on the state of their health care system. Governor King’s Blue Ribbon Commission relied on the testimony of just one ‘expert’ on Canada’s system and never even cited the main repository of statistics, the Canadian Institute for Health Information. It has a complete data warehouse that could have been easily mined for accurate data. Their graphs even incorporate forecasts. For example, one revealed that the escalating costs would make health care expenses 40% of the Provincial budget within a few years! It seems as if Maine's 'Blue Ribbon Commission' members either omitted these forecasts or were ignorant about them.

(Preliminary Provincial/Territorial Government Health Expenditure as a Proportion of Total Provincial Government Programs, Canada, 1974/1975 to 2000/2001 - Current Dollars)

Proponents & endorsements of Canada's Health care system

OH CANADA! An unabashed, socialist, series of opinion pieces on the joys and benefits of the Canadian health care system. Somewhat dated, circa 2000.

Canadian Health Policy 'think tanks'

	This is the source for timely, detailed, accurate information with forecasts, i.e. the skyrocketing costs of health care by Province.
	FRASER INSTITUTE. "The Institute is exploring how market incentives within the public health care system, such as medical savings accounts, can improve the quality of care for all Canadians. Reform of the current public system could also encourage private investment and medical innovation, create employment, and increase the range and quality of health care available."
	Atlantic Institute for Market Studies (AIMS) " Health care is the most hotly debated public policy issue in Canada. There is no question that, whatever results, the current debate will have a significant impact on the Atlantic region. In an effort to allow people to explore this issue for themselves AIMS has constructed this resource page on health care. Here you will find a direct link to AIMS major project called Health Care’s Hidden Face: The Private Sector and its Relationship with Medicare. By following that link you can take a direct part in our ongoing research by reading and commenting on a series of working papers related to health care"

Media commentary and other criticism

	The Canadian media tend to report the ‘crisis’ as it affects each provincial government, and depending upon the bent of their political leadership, effect varying solutions to the problem. Here is one report in a national E’zine of Canada’s First Health Care REPORT CARD, by Michael Decter, Ph.D. Harvard.
	NEW from Heartland Institute...Canadian Health Care Fails 5 ways, by Dr. David Gratzer. March, 2002
	Health care increasingly unsatisfactory, media study documents erosion of health care
	Provincial Governments move health care into private sector and induce competition... Doer says provinces must do part for health care, by Globe & Mail, March 6th, 2002.
	"Unhealthy Secrecy Surrounds Public Health Care".. greater competition, better regulation, among needed solutions" Atlantic Institute for Market studies policy paper. 2002.

Proponents & endorsements of Canada's Health care system

OH CANADA! An unabashed, socialist, series of opinion pieces on the joys and benefits of the Canadian health care system. Somewhat dated, circa 2000.

Canadian Health Policy 'think tanks'

This is the source for timely, detailed, accurate information with forecasts, i.e. the skyrocketing costs of health care by Province.

Media commentary and other criticism

NEW from Heartland Institute...Canadian Health Care Fails 5 ways, by Dr. David Gratzer. March, 2002

Health care increasingly unsatisfactory, media study documents erosion of health care

Provincial Governments move health care into private sector and induce competition... Doer says provinces must do part for health care, by Globe & Mail, March 6th, 2002.

"Unhealthy Secrecy Surrounds Public Health Care".. greater competition, better regulation, among needed solutions" Atlantic Institute for Market studies policy paper. 2002.