Tired of U.S. digs at Canada’s health care

Re U.S. VP Pence slams ‘failings’ of Canadian health system, Sept. 26

I am tired of, and angry at, the incessant American political rhetoric slamming Canada’s health-care system. America’s denigrating, impulsive oratory only categorically demonstrates they are bereft of any conception of how our system has worked successfully for so many years. Granted there are flaws in the Canadian health-care system, but these shortcomings are greatly overshadowed by the high standard of care and treatment Canadians receive.

Americans can argue about purported high Canadian taxes, but Canadians can go to a hospital without a chequebook in their pocket. American families have been financially devastated by unexpected health costs. Their health-management organizations are a joke and American health insurance companies are constantly under the microscope because of their controversial high premium costs and reduction of coverage.

Before any further U. S. criticism of Canada’s health care, Americans should realize when a health dilemma occurs to any Canadian family, we have the assuring confidence of receiving free treatment with the absence of red-tape anxiety. Is Vice-President Pence able to give that to Americans?

Gary Megaffin, Kitchener

U.S. Vice-President Mike Pence is trotting out the big artillery when he describes our compassionate health-care system as “socialized.” That word always has been powerful in the U.S., where for many it is equivalent to the pejorative “communist.” Fortunately, Bernie Sanders is slowly chipping away at that false equivalency.

The country that outspends the next eight nations combined in the world on its military-industrial complex needs to reprioritize. If President Trump wants to simultaneously demand no dissent at militaristic sporting-event ceremonies while seeking to throw millions off health-care coverage, Canada and the rest of the developed world can offer some sage advice:

Take a knee on health care.

Russell Pangborn, Keswick