FlyingViking
Well-Known Member
No way Jose! This government is choking us. Did we need a 40 percent increase in government employees?
Time to get rid of this gong show and fund healthcare but cutting waste
Off Topic Health care system needs drastic overhaul.
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Time to get rid of this gong show and fund healthcare but cutting waste
Octavius Brine
Well-Known Member
I am with you on this one @Caseys Dream
A few years back I had a rare disease called GBS. I was 29 and fully paralyzed in ICU, but it is a funny disease- it can reverse! And you have better chances if you aren't sedated, so I got to see the innards of the hospital system in a way most people don't.
If we compare across the globe, here is how I'd have made out:
Developing world: Dead at 29. Not enough fancy equipment and medicines to keep me alive long enough to recover, plain and simple.
USA: The treatment I had was $50k per dose, and I needed a handful of doses. The head nurse carried in the glass bottles like priceless jewels! Even with insurance, I'd probably be paying off a few hundred thousand, and without insurance, likely half a million plus. That is... another death sentence
But here in Canada, I paid (directly) less than $100 for one ambulance ride! Everything else, 2 months in hospital, surgery, weeks in ICU... all paid.
Still, not an easy situation with a young family... but with the systems in place I lived to tell the tale, and it didn't ruin me financially. Which is good business in the long run... I kept a good job and pay plenty of income tax and can kind of "pay it forward" to fund some other guy on some other program, to help him deal with the shitty hand he was dealt.
I don't want to get into it on politics, but the quality of life we have in this country is outstanding, and without saying it is perfect, I am proud to defend that.
But that all costs big money. In one graphic this photo explains the big picture of where all the money is coming and going (federally)- lots of fun things to compare, for example the interest paid on national debt is about equal to healthcare transfer payments. Imagine being debt free as a country and doubling the healthcare budget!
Anyhow, a big thanks to the healthcare workers around here. I enjoyed reading all the insightful posts! And to the original post... wishing your family the best of luck, and hoping the advice from the folks here is helping.
100% right
okay I get the bashing, some of it well deserved. BUT do remember our London hospitals do a damn fine job. I doubt that either my wife or I would be around without their help. Yes more needs/can be done but I am quite happy with London's care compared to other municipalities.
Old Cut LongPointer
Well-Known Member
@stomp ; Downtowns go to sleep at night because every one has gone home letting the creatures of the night take over. No shopping or entertainment because we let or more like we wanted malls out in the burbs closer to home to meet those needs ?
@FlyingViking ; If by 40% increase in gov't employees includes teachers, nurses, first responders, water/wastewater operators etc., etc. then that may make sense once you spread it around.
Stopping immigration is not the answer either as this country was built by immigrants. Besides, who's going to work all those low paying , dirty, lousy jobs that our own little self entitled spawn turn their noses up at ?
@FlyingViking ; If by 40% increase in gov't employees includes teachers, nurses, first responders, water/wastewater operators etc., etc. then that may make sense once you spread it around.
Stopping immigration is not the answer either as this country was built by immigrants. Besides, who's going to work all those low paying , dirty, lousy jobs that our own little self entitled spawn turn their noses up at ?
@Old Cut LongPointer, that may have been the way pre-pandemic; Richmond Row is becoming more like skid row, 7x24.
DaveJ
Well-Known Member
I agree 1000%...we are blessed to live in this country..its like winning a global lottery.I am with you on this one @Caseys Dream
A few years back I had a rare disease called GBS. I was 29 and fully paralyzed in ICU, but it is a funny disease- it can reverse! And you have better chances if you aren't sedated, so I got to see the innards of the hospital system in a way most people don't.
If we compare across the globe, here is how I'd have made out:
Developing world: Dead at 29. Not enough fancy equipment and medicines to keep me alive long enough to recover, plain and simple.
USA: The treatment I had was $50k per dose, and I needed a handful of doses. The head nurse carried in the glass bottles like priceless jewels! Even with insurance, I'd probably be paying off a few hundred thousand, and without insurance, likely half a million plus. That is... another death sentence
But here in Canada, I paid (directly) less than $100 for one ambulance ride! Everything else, 2 months in hospital, surgery, weeks in ICU... all paid.
Still, not an easy situation with a young family... but with the systems in place I lived to tell the tale, and it didn't ruin me financially. Which is good business in the long run... I kept a good job and pay plenty of income tax and can kind of "pay it forward" to fund some other guy on some other program, to help him deal with the shitty hand he was dealt.
I don't want to get into it on politics, but the quality of life we have in this country is outstanding, and without saying it is perfect, I am proud to defend that.
But that all costs big money. In one graphic this photo explains the big picture of where all the money is coming and going (federally)- lots of fun things to compare, for example the interest paid on national debt is about equal to healthcare transfer payments. Imagine being debt free as a country and doubling the healthcare budget!
Anyhow, a big thanks to the healthcare workers around here. I enjoyed reading all the insightful posts! And to the original post... wishing your family the best of luck, and hoping the advice from the folks here is helping.
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The debate and criticism of our healthcare system may come across as a 1st world problem to many...kinda like complaining about food prices and the color of my wifes new BMW, but criticizing these institutions is healthy because it does draw scrutiny to the system problems and creates change. Our healthcare is sometimes slow, but its there and it dosnt break the bank. I have relatives in the USA and their stories are frightening. Sister-in-law had breast cancer. Treatments and surgeries which would have been free here cost her $80K..and that was with a VERY VERY good insurance plan through work. They had $40k, and took a $40K homeowners loan to cover the rest. Can you imagine getting an $80K bill???
Downtown London is a 3rd world country. We go to dinner and the Grand Theatre a few times each year. Last time there waiting to go in, some meth gets in my wifes space wanting $$. I threw him into Richmond Street..much to the disdain of some of the onlookers. I hate London.
Local native bands dont even have treated water, yet we spend hundreds of millions of $$$ on asylum seekers and new immigrants. They get housing with fresh water, food, health care, job training, yet our own people are denied that. What a bunch of BS. I f we put a few hundred of these new immigrants onto a northern reserve and made them live in the conditions there, there would be a big public outcry and political backlash for treating them so poorly....yet we force our own to live like that every day. BS BS BS
Octavius Brine
Well-Known Member
I had a good laugh at that one- "our self entitled spawn".
Well said.I agree @DaveJ , it is good to have this kind of discourse. Even if we were here all agreeing to be #1 on the planet, there can still be room to improve.
DaveJ I totally agree about the immigrants
You can only bring so many immigrants in at a time or you'll have the housing shortage a healthcare problem that we do
It’s never fun now @stomp to go occasionally downtown,to either see a London Knights game,or any type of entertainment at the Budweiser Gardens! It’s too bad to see the downtown of Londontown go sideways like that!!
Back in the late 70th’s into the 80th’s,it was a “Blast” going to downtown London,and to do some “bar hopping “ to around 5 different bar’s! 
Hopefully,the downtown London will turn around again,but it will likely take some time to do that! 
Old Cut LongPointer
Well-Known Member
As for "downtowns" I was born, raised and worked most of my life away for and in the City of Toronto and have seen it all. Thank goodness my Dad purchased a chunk of marsh at Long Point to act as a sanctuary for us kids. I've seen seedy neighbourhoods turned around to become "go to" areas for a night out and by mixing condos in with commercial buildings has revived downtown to some extent but yet the homeless still remain and that is a problem all unto itself. Drugs are a major reason for so many of them and/or those dealing with mental issues and then there are those that actually choose that lifestyle... go figure ? Solving that problem is a billion dollar question.
I'm not sure if I/we want to go down that road when comparing "asylum seekers and immigrants" with Canada's first people as all three have their own unique issues to be dealt with.
So ? Has anybody written or emailed their elected representative(s) yet regarding the sad state of our health care system ? I might suggest if you have multiple issues that you send each one separately as it may be forwarded to the Minister in charge of that particular issue.
I'm not sure if I/we want to go down that road when comparing "asylum seekers and immigrants" with Canada's first people as all three have their own unique issues to be dealt with.
So ? Has anybody written or emailed their elected representative(s) yet regarding the sad state of our health care system ? I might suggest if you have multiple issues that you send each one separately as it may be forwarded to the Minister in charge of that particular issue.
It’s never fun now @stomp to go occasionally downtown,to either see a London Knights game,or any type of entertainment at the Budweiser Gardens! It’s too bad to see the downtown of Londontown go sideways like that!!
What? Wife and I at that Knights game back on Jan 26, the Pete's beat the Knights on that shootout to end the winning streak.
At no time was I skeered of the downtown. Parked at Covent Garden Market underground parking, strolled around for a bit as we were early. Left game with everyone else and didn't get beaten up. It was a fun date-night out.
Back in the 80's bar hopping wasn't so safe back then either.
Now if someone was wearing a Leaf or Habs jersey...best of luck with that!!!!
Trevor M
Well-Known Member
I was at that game too. Won't be to another one though until the afternoon game on Family Day in a little over a week from now. Nobody downtown bothered me any. The only issue I've had so far was getting out of the parkade under the market the first game I went too. Took a little over half an hour. Was out a lot quicker than that the last game I went to though.
I wore my Leafs jersey to the first game I went too (Jan 20 vs Kitchener the game where London destroyed them 10-3) but bought a Knights Jersey that I've worn since. There is still one person I know tho, who even though I don't wear my Leafs stuff for HIS sanity, he STILL wears that damn old beat up Habs jacket of his to each game I've met up with him at, but at least he took it off last game we were both at to shoot the breeze with me between periods The issue isn’t how many tax dollars are collected, it’s governments not spending correctly and wasting huge money instead of actually helping us.
Over $220 billion spent on covid
Over $11 billion sent to Ukraine last year
Over $23 billion for a single indigenous peoples agreement last year
$7 billion sent to foreign countries annually
Perhaps the lieberal government/turdeau creating nearly 100,000 (39% increase) unnecessary public sector jobs since 2015 isn’t helping. It’s helping him buy votes though.
2022/23 Canada paid over $60 billion in interest payments alone. The government has a spending problem and even a 50% tax rate wouldn’t fix a thing.
Tickville
Well-Known Member
These new immigrants are far from the ppl that put forth the building blocks of this country. It needs to end, we can't even solve our own problems but yet they put these ppl up in nice hotels with a monthly allowance. A few guys on my crew stay in one of these hotels and say it's a joke what's these ppl are entitled to and how they spend our hard earned tax dollars. Bring back the sponsorship program that allowed my grandfather to pay and earn his right as a carpenter from Poland to become a proud Canadian. Handouts makes pussies and this country is full of them especially brampton. There should be a prerequisite where new Canadians have to spend first 2 years in the arctic along with the junkies and other lowlifes. That will weed out the weak and bring out the strong.
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