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Health Care Of the Canadian Rich and Famous
PJM Calgary: Why do politicians who pay lip service to Canada's socialized health care system travel to the United States for medical treatment? PJM correspondent Heather Cook points out the hypocrisy of pols who oppose a two-tiered system for everyone but themselves.
On Thursday, September 29, 2005 a grinning Belinda Stronach stood beside George Smitherman, Canada’s Minister of Health and Long-Term Care to announce that the Southlake Regional Health Centre had been granted approval for a new world-class cancer care facility due to open in 2008.
According to Stronach’s own web site:
“Belinda is an Honourary Member of the Southlake Regional Health Centre Board of Directors and the past Honourary Chair of the Southlake “Nurture the Future” Fundraising Campaign that raised $16.5 million for our local hospital. She has been a strong advocate for bringing a cancer care facility to service the needs of our local community. The Regional Cancer Centre will enable residents to access life-saving diagnostics and therapeutics closer to home, and it will assist in decreasing wait times for certain urgently required services. The Cancer Centre will also help improve the quality of life for many individuals and their families in our community.”
A wonderful addition to not just the area, but to the advancement of cancer treatment in Canada. Wonderful, in theory. Good enough, in theory.
Stronach has been one of Canada’s most controversial politicians of recent memory. She was originally elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) in the Conservative Party of Canada and ran for the leadership of the party in 2004. However the Ontario businesswoman switched to the Liberal Party in 2005. (And I use the term business woman loosely since working for daddy is hardly a job one can get fired from for poor performance. In fact, she announced she was leaving politics this year and heading back to work at her father’s corporation, Magna.) Social scuttlebutt has linked Stronach to Bill Clinton, Peter McKay (current Conservative MP) and as a homewrecker in ex-hockey star Tie Domi’s marriage.
But all seemed to be forgiven in the public’s eye when Stronach was diagnosed with breast cancer which required a mastectomy and breast reconstruction. The very treatable type of cancer (DCIS, ductal carcinoma in situ) was thankfully brought under control, but not before Stronach flew to California on the advice of her doctor to receive surgery in June 2007.
Canada’s Health Act is the backbone of the health care system that – in theory – guarantees “free” health care. But there’s no guarantee for when you will receive it, and it’s not actually free. Besides the health premiums which are legislated by the provinces, there’s an untraceable amount of tax dollars coming out of the pockets of Canadians to fund the endless pit of the health care system.
The Canada Health Act also states that no one should pay for a health service in Canada if others get it for free. So no matter how bad you need surgery, no matter how much money you have, you still need to wait in line like the rest of us. So many who have the money to pay, do. In the US. This has lead to a rise in medical tourism that helps link up rich Canadians with American doctors.
But what about politicians who spend their lives giving lip service to the Canada Health Act, only to offer up their wallets when personally affected?
Well, consider Stronach’s 2004 interview with Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s Carole MacNeil:
Carole Macneil: … let me just ask you the question: how do you feel about a system whereby those who can pay, who can afford to pay, get access to the healthcare system faster than those who can’t?
Belinda Stronach: Well, I think first of all, again, I said we should look at innovative solutions that respect the Canada Health Act and that respect universal access to good quality healthcare. That is the standard, that is the principle, and I think we should allow for the provinces to have the debate so that they can better meet the needs of their citizens. But respecting the principles of the Canada Health Act.
Carole Macneil: Ok, and would having a system whereby if you could afford it you get speedier access, would that respect the principles?
Belinda Stronach: No, that’s a two-tiered health system, which I said I’m not in favour of a two-tiered health system. But I am in favour of the debate that will look at innovative solutions, which will respect the principles of the Canada Health Act, that will deliver a better health care system to Canadians. Canadians know the healthcare system is not working when 40 cents of every dollar spent goes toward healthcare and those costs are increasing anywhere, from 8 – 10% a year, faster than revenues. I don’t have to tell you the fact, to tell you that the healthcare system in its current form will not be there for future generations. So we owe it to Canadians to have that debate, to say how can we now look at providing a better quality healthcare service?
Let me get this straight. Miss Stronach doesn’t support a two-tiered health care system here, as long as she has the US to go to when she needs to access good health care. She’s supportive of the Canada Health Act and thinks we should all support its principles… in theory.
Here’s an idea. How about you let me put my money down when I need to, right here in Canada. How about when my son is having asthma attacks and needs to go to an allergist you let me pay for one in my own city rather than get a referral to a specialist with a 12 month waiting list.
But that would be un-Canadian. It would go against “the principles of the Canada Health Act.” Which is something that is reserved for rich politicians.
Heather Cook lives in Calgary, Alberta with her husband, a former U.S. Army officer, and two children. She can be found online at heather-cook.com.
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19 Comments
1. sigmund, carl and alfred:“If you think health care is expensive now, wait till it’s free.”
Just ask any Canadian or Brit.
Oct 3, 2007 - 10:40 am 2. johnnycwest:Belinda – I would like to thank you, on behalf of all the little people, the middle class, for preserving our marvelous single tier health system. We are so glad that you do not have to suffer with it yourself.
The health care system in Canada is full of good people, but it is such a bad system that the levels of service can be appalling. Imagine Microsoft owning and managing the only grocery chain allowed in a country. How good do you think the service and selection would be? How innovative would the store be? How many people would be lined up at the border to shop on the other side?
Capitalism is the only moral and practical way to deliver any good or product, let alone an expensive and labor intensive one like health care. When you add the fact that there is potentially an unlimited demand for the service, it is simply impossible to deliver it with quality, with any other delivery system. Stronach and her ilk – every other politician in Canada – makes me sick and there is no cure on the horizon for that malady.
Oct 3, 2007 - 11:05 am 3. David Thomson:I encourage everyone to see the Canadian movie, The Barbarian Invasions (Les Invasions Barbares). You can obtain a used VHS copy (including shipping) for less then $5.00 via Amazon.con. The story is about an avant garde intellectual who is dying. He is a far out utopian lefty. His wealthy son arranges for the man to obtain health care in the United States. Finally, the son is seemingly forced to bribe about everyone in Canada to make the last days of his father half way decent. The Barbarian Invasions is well worth your time and a few bucks.
Oct 3, 2007 - 11:28 am 4. Justin:To be fair, the procedure Ms. Stronach had in California was breast reconstruction after her masectomy.
I am reasonably certain that the average Canadian would not think that rich people flying to California for a boob-job constitutes a national health care crisis!
Oct 3, 2007 - 1:02 pm 5. nichevo:Reconstructive plastic surgery is a different matter from cosmetic plastic surgery. One can never assume on the Internet but I’d be willing to bet that you’ve never been physically mutilated by cancer treatment and in need of such help.
Whatever I may think of Ms. Stronach’s ethics, politics or morals, I am glad for her that she had the means to seek this redress, and sorry for those Canadians who have not.
Oct 3, 2007 - 1:40 pm 6. Boudicae:Belinda Stronach flew to California for reconstructive surgery, which she would have had to pay for in Canada anyway since the public system does not cover cosmetic procedures. She received her mastectomy and cancer treatment in the public health system. Big surprise she flew to California to see a plastic surgeon. There’s many things to criticize her for but hypocrisy on this issue isn’t one of them.
By the way, George Smitherman is the Ontario Minister of Health, not the Canadian Minister of Health (kinda like mistaking a Governor for the President). Tony Clement is the Federal Minister of Health.
Oct 3, 2007 - 2:21 pm 7. johnnycwest:nichevo – Ms. Stronach is a politician who limits other people’s choices in health care by legislative fiat. Yet she can easily circumvent those imposed limitations. Most Canadians do not have those same options to circumvent the laws that she helps to impose. I have nothing against her as a person, and I wish her well. She has every right to travel to the United States to seek medical care. I respect her freedoms absolutely. Would that she show her fellow Canadians the same respect for their freedoms.
Oct 3, 2007 - 2:31 pm 8. mishu:She could have had it in Alberta
The link discusses SRS but here’s the relevant text:
The Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan (AHCIP) covers SRS and a variety of related procedures including chest reconstruction and breast augmentation.
Oct 3, 2007 - 2:36 pm 9. ZZMike:As some have said, if you think health care is expensive now, just wait till it’s free.
There are clearly problems down here – for one thing, if you don’t work for a company big enough to provide coverage, or if you’re a student, you can expect to pay $9000 or $10000 a year for coverage.
The Democrats’ plan is not the solution. On the other hand, I have no idea what the solution is. Maybe a complete end to medical lawsuits.
Most people don’t think it odd, but the first thing they ask you when you walk into a doctor’s office is not “What’s wrong” but “May we see your insurance card?”.
Oct 3, 2007 - 3:44 pm 10. John:“Stronach flew to California on the advice of her doctor to receive surgery”
HillaryCare will put a stop to this kind of behavior!
Oct 3, 2007 - 3:53 pm 11. fred lapides:stuff and nonsense., Do our Congress people in the US have great coverage while most Americans do not? √éo the wealthyhere or in Canada or anywhere else not use their wealth to get what they want and when they want it? Coverage in Canada is for lots of people who could not fly to California for anything–including cancer treatments. Do you have access to Walter Reed when you need it? stop bitching and recognize that money is useful and comes in handy, in Canada, China, or the USA.
Oct 3, 2007 - 4:08 pm 12. Ed Derbyshire:Smitherman is the health minister of Ontario – not Canada. As health is a provincial responsibility in the Canadian Constitution.
Oct 3, 2007 - 4:56 pm 13. John B:“and it’s not actually free.”
Well d’oh. I thought the tooth fairy paid for health care.
Oct 3, 2007 - 5:04 pm 14. Bearster:ZZMike: I have my own catastrophic medical insurance with a $5000 deductible. I assure you that I pay nowhere NEAR $9000 a year!
Note that insurance is not the same thing as “coverage” of boo-boos and bandaids.
Insurance protects you from a financial wipe-out. But this is not what most people think they want to today. Most people seem to have a victim mentality and want to abdicate responsibility for their own lives and have someone somehow take care of them. Thus the perennial appeal of socialized medicine, socialized schools, socialized roads and trains, etc.
As if the free market gives us shortages and rationing of food, clothing, computers, Internet bandwidth, blogs…
Oct 3, 2007 - 5:29 pm 15. Kerrie:My sister works at the University of Washington Medical Center. All of her patients have cancer. Most of her patients were the unfortunate ones who had failed to respond to their cancer treatment.
She once told me, “If you’re on my floor, you are either going to die, or you’re a wealthy European.”.
Socialism doesn’t work because since you can’t make everyone equally happy, you have to make them equally miserable.
Oct 3, 2007 - 5:44 pm 16. Heather Cook:My apologies, I did know that Smitherman is the health minister of Ontario – not Canada. I mis-typed.
Oct 5, 2007 - 7:00 pm 17. jules_siegel:She went to California for reconstructive surgery. Her cancer surgeries were performed in Canada:
“Belinda had one of her later-stage operations in California, after referral from her personal physicians in Toronto. Prior to this, Belinda had surgery and treatment in Toronto, and continues to receive followup treatment there,” said Greg MacEachern, Stronach’s assistant and spokesperson.
http://news.therecord.com/News/CanadaWorld/article/241808
Why did the writer of this article leave that out?
Oct 6, 2007 - 5:32 pm 18. papa bear:Jules: Perhaps because her receiving follow up maintenance treatment in Canada would be par for the course for the wealthy foreigners who come here for treatment then bash the hell out of Americans for having an expensive health care system.
Also interesting that you would leave this part out:
“Speed was not the issue, MacEachern said — it was more to do with the type of surgery she and her doctor agreed was best for her, and where it was best performed. The type of cancer Stronach had — ductal carcinoma in situ — is one of the more treatable forms.”
A basic procedure to excise the cancer is best left treated outside of Canada?!?!? What happens when something tricky comes along? I perish the thought.
The US could lower costs back to 1950’s/60’s levels (in terms of % of income spent) with one simple step: TORT REFORM. Malpractice insurance is such a monstrous cost that we are bent over a barrel every time a hospital is dragged to court every time a sore throat doesn’t heal fast enough. There are other things that could be done, but that’s #1 and the biggest.
Oct 8, 2007 - 4:07 pm 19. Amber:Hey, was wondering if anyone has any health insurance horror stories to share for a paper I am writing for my advanced research class. Thanks for any you can offer.
May 7, 2008 - 6:53 pm