Counter am accused by North Vaneouses letter- writer M. Savage of using Joshua Feuelling’s death to further my health care privatiza- tion agenda. The carold Mr. Feuelling was turned away from a Toronto emergency roont in the midst of an asth- ma attack. Brain death and death followed in quick suc- cession. M. Savage does not think this tragedy is sympto- matic of the sludge of social- ized medicine. He wishes to write off Joshua as an arti- fact; he wishes to cultivate aninesia as to the many Canadians whose tumours ing hold because of long wait-lists for cancer treatment; he wishes to ignore the many lone! frightened Canadians holed up in Any hotels await- ing cancer treatment away from family. Pil be reminding M. Savage and others, lest they forget these people, that no amount of money thrown at the system, most of which is swallowed by wages and unionized auxiliary staff, will alter it ane iota. [ am also accused of fail- ing to mention the name o the hospital in which my daughter, suffering a supra- condylar fracture of the humerus (I remember), was left to writhe with intolerable ain; where her veins were ruised black before a fine was established; where | heard over the PA system the Wreeallieo x Loca Dear Editor: Thank you for your photographic cover- age of concerns over layoffs at Capilano Care Centre (Staff meeting, March 3 News). I hope to correct some misinformation contained in the photograph’s heading. The staff of Capilano Care Centre, who are members of the Hospital Employees’ Union (HEU), were “leafleting” a Council of Canadians public attending meeting. The meeting focused on the North Shore Health Region’s decision to use a private eye clinic for publicly-funded cye surgery. — Hana Niercer Jair comment dreaded “Code Blue™ call while she was in theatre where her agony was uleefil- Wy ignored, I was being tactful, but if this has been interpreted as deceit, then the place is Lions Gate Hospital. The trauniatic as M. Savage reckons that had it been so bad, | would have done something. Well, some people yo public with their frothies and command considerable support with their displays. Others intensity their cun- ning regimen and hit the trails so as to cope with the nightmares brought on by almost losing an only child. leave vou fo guess to amp I belong. reader seems to think the wages of professionals are determined by where they fall on the compassion scale. Nonsense on stilts. In a state-controlled tem, the state bypasses natur- af market indicators and sets the wages. Ina free market system supply anci demand determine the wages. Pr were the system to emai re Arar Sra Sd A AEN Tne tot PS One hme be ort RIA dA Mme etm RA care issues raised J attended both and the Council of Ccaadians North Shore The meeting focused on this issu and inchided in its panel HEU's secreta business manayer, Chris Aflnut. HEU and its me Care Centre hope to increase public ness over staff layo: affece the care Chapte those — severely seniors. In my view, received by those who attended this meeting. Graham O'Neill North Vancouver RING MONS Spokts CAULFEILD VIL sup. the wages of doctors would skyrocket because there are not enough of them to fill the demand. Restricted access is cxacer- bated and maintained by medical associations, which act much fike unions aod exect draconian control over who enters the profession. The degree of control vested in such a cartel must be stis- pect. Going the way of sanity and privatizing the system would ne tate an infusion ofa good number of doctors into the market. A healthy competition will ensue and the price of services will level. M. Savage needs a reality chee edicine, while noble calling, is a business. The reason f got consistently excellent and cheap care from my private pediatr A the man was unre stricted by the state. He was free co become the best and Most prosperous (as well as to donate his time). Being the best is com- mensurate with getting rewarded for it. Do you expect doctors to live on fresh air and love? Besides which it’s far better to have a doctor vie for my business than one who doesn't care whether 1 come or go. Moist exhortations about values aside, the reader should know that, ina tree marker, prices help us navi- amembec cf the HEU nbers at the Capilano ware: Ss and how this may of North Shore chose concerns were well Care gate and cconomize, Does anvone know what the market pri s fora doc: tors visit? Why should we? After all, we think we don’t pay. Pkrow an educate young athiecte whe visits the doctor whea he perceives his heartbeat to be too low, Being extremely cit, his visits tor this purpose are frequent. Would he be so abusing the system were he made to pay? Tn a state-run s: information abeut pri services and procedures is submerged. As the price of services has been set below market value, Uhe demand is bound to grow (because peo- ple gobble up a bargain) and the supply to steadily decrease. Though moribund, we think our system is fiscally immortal f indicators hke bankruptcy do sty 1089 Marine Drive 990-4892 Munic Books, CDs, Iavirumants, Accessories Rent To Own a Galear from onty $12 per month! Tapes Sat 5:30 pny TET East 2nd Stevet, N, Vian 988-1412 Friday, March 17, 2000 —- North Shore News - 7 not apply te it. This system will continue to chug along, because, even though it’s bankrupt, che taxpay be niide to bankroll it. Just as we are unlikely te service a hired car or revamp a rented apartment, a like Medicare, which is held in common, endures the yof the commons: as he does about val- ues, M. Savage cannot escape the fact the system is overused and has ceased to respond to the needs of Canadians. Another facet of the tragedy of the commons is se incentives it engenders in the profession- als locked into it. In such a S system, competence is rewarded with an increased workload but no added remuneration. Theretore, it is reflexive tor the professionals to overstate their workdoad, This again is an observation documented by economists. i ng that no venality attached is phenom Non; it is stem where merit and hard work are not rewarded, Pray tell, dear reader, if you encounter any problems obtaining the services of a dentist or an optometrist? Put on your thinking cap sir, and tell me why. It begins with a ‘P", —wnomeRattcanadanet Oi, Lube & i a services Fitter ly aegY 21 Be. 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