{"id":766712,"date":"2026-06-28T12:20:22","date_gmt":"2026-06-28T12:20:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/766712\/"},"modified":"2026-06-28T12:20:22","modified_gmt":"2026-06-28T12:20:22","slug":"letters-to-the-editor-june-28-the-most-reasoned-argument-for-private-pay-alongside-publicly-funded-universal-health-care-that-i-have-seen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/766712\/","title":{"rendered":"Letters to the editor, June 28: \u2018The most reasoned argument for private-pay alongside publicly funded universal health care that I have seen\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n

Treatment rooms in the emergency department at Peter Lougheed hospital in Calgary.Jeff McIntosh\/The Canadian Press<\/p>\n

Go private?<\/p>\n

Re \u201cAn urgent prescription for our ailing Canadian health care system\u201d<\/a> (June 22): I am a dentist and, as such, am involved in both private and public health care. I am also a firm advocate of public health care who would like to congratulate doctor Brian Goldman on the most reasoned argument for private-pay alongside publicly funded universal health care that I have seen. <\/p>\n

We have two-year wait times for joint replacement while Germany, in a thoughtful blended system, has wait times of three to four weeks. It is indeed time to start an \u201cadult conversation\u201d about private health care.<\/p>\n

David Bergen St. Catharines, Ont.<\/p>\n

Before jumping on the bandwagon for private-pay health care, I suggest reading the massive evidence behind the Supreme Court\u2019s Cambie decision that there is no constitutional right to access to private health care.<\/p>\n

Pat Armstrong Distinguished research professor emeritus, York University; Toronto<\/p>\n

House opposition<\/p>\n

Re \u201cOttawa launching competition to find firm to rebuild 24 Sussex\u201d<\/a> (June 26): Pierre Poilievre\u2019s compassion and concern for the unhoused, and those suffering from unaffordable housing, is commendable. <\/p>\n

Perhaps it would resonate more sincerely if he and his family weren\u2019t living rent-free in Stornoway. <\/p>\n

Patricia Hartnagel Edmonton<\/p>\n

Pierre Poilievre says Mark Carney had not consulted him on plans for 24 Sussex. <\/p>\n

I have no problem with Mr. Carney consulting Mr. Poilievre on the future of the residence, as long as Mr. Carney doesn\u2019t hand him the keys.<\/p>\n

Rob Maxwell Toronto<\/p>\n

Capital idea<\/p>\n

Re \u201cCarney defends $1.45-billion plan to convert B.C. condo units to affordable housing\u201d<\/a> (June 26): Sticking up for capitalism is a tough slog these days, especially with surging income inequality. <\/p>\n

A primary defence is that individuals and businesses taking on risks are entitled to commensurate rewards. In the B.C. condo market, developers downplayed those risks and, for many years, earned outsized rewards. <\/p>\n

Now those risks have come home to roost, but the federal and provincial governments are planning to mitigate that pain by buying up unsold condos. That amounts to gross interference in the natural risk-reward trade-off that underpins capitalism. <\/p>\n

David Baines Richmond, B.C.<\/p>\n

Canadian view<\/p>\n

Re \u201cAlan Greenspan, the \u2018maestro,\u2019 was plain wrong about financial regulation\u201d<\/a> (Report on Business, June 23): In 2008, Alan Greenspan, the former U.S. Federal Reserve chair, admitted to a congressional committee that he had wrongly advocated for an easy-money policy. <\/p>\n

This gave a free hand to lending institutions who created a financial frenzy. Some of these collapsed while millions of Americans lost their homes. No one was held legally responsible.<\/p>\n

In the Prime Minister\u2019s book Value(s), he describes this time in language sprinkled with \u201cgreed,\u201d \u201cself-serving\u201d interests and \u201ccomplacency\u201d among financiers who abdicated responsibility. He wrote that it was a time of belief in free markets, free trade, floating exchange rates and liberalized capital flows to promote global prosperity. <\/p>\n

Canada steered clear of subprime lending, but our markets still went into freefall. Eventually, adult minds prevailed and depression was prevented.<\/p>\n

Raymond Peringer Toronto<\/p>\n

MAID practitioners<\/p>\n

Re \u201cA beginning, not an end, to fixing MAID\u201d <\/a>(Editorial, June 20): You appear to have decided where this newspaper stands on medical assistance in dying. What really startled me, though, was the objection to the 10-day waiting period being waived. How have you decided that waiving it has created some kind of wrongful access to MAID? <\/p>\n

In intensive care units and other health care settings across Canada, many life-and-death decisions are made \u2013 and, not infrequently, by substitute decision makers rather than patients themselves \u2013 without outcries for increased scrutiny. <\/p>\n

There seems to be such a singular lack of trust in medical practitioners who provide MAID that it makes me wonder what we have done to deserve this.<\/p>\n

Jyothi Jayaraman, palliative care physician and MAID practitioner; Vancouver<\/p>\n

Locals only<\/p>\n

Re \u201cAlberta Premier, Calgary mayor fight over noise bylaw ahead of Stampede\u201d<\/a> (June 23): I support Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas on recent bylaw changes aimed at reducing noise from weeknight concerts during the Calgary Stampede. <\/p>\n

The Stampede is one of Calgary\u2019s defining events and an important part of our city\u2019s identity, economy and culture. Elected officials are only trying to strike a reasonable balance between allowing residents to enjoy this major celebration and addressing concerns from nearby communities.<\/p>\n

I also agree with Mr. Farkas that politicians from outside Calgary should stay out of this debate. Whether people agree or disagree with the changes, the discussion should remain a local one. Decisions about local events, bylaws and the character of our city should ultimately be made by the people who live here and the representatives they elect. <\/p>\n

Calgary residents are perfectly capable of weighing the benefits and drawbacks of these changes without political interference.<\/p>\n

Dono Bandoro Calgary<\/p>\n

Vicious cycle<\/p>\n

Re \u201cOntario auto insurance changes will leave many cyclists, pedestrians with reduced access to accident benefits\u201d<\/a> (Report on Business, June 24): To reduce the cost of driving, Doug Ford decided to change auto insurance requirements and transfer the risk of lost income after a traffic accident onto me as a cyclist. <\/p>\n

But if I must now buy individual disability insurance to cover that risk, am I not effectively subsidizing the cost of driving? That seems neither a fair nor sustainable way to address the affordability crisis.<\/p>\n

Franziska Beeler Toronto<\/p>\n

Across the pond<\/p>\n

Re \u201cChants and anthems are part of the fabric of global soccer. Canada has catching up to do\u201d<\/a> (June 24): While Gerry and the Pacemakers may have popularized a version of You\u2019ll Never Walk Alone in 1963, it first appeared to great acclaim in 1945 in Rodgers and Hammerstein\u2019s Broadway musical Carousel. So its roots are American.<\/p>\n

Peter Blanchard Toronto<\/p>\n

Tuned in<\/p>\n

Re \u201cThe cozy world of Hockey Night in Canada and the CBC hasn\u2019t existed for some time\u201d<\/a> (Opinion, June 20): I understand and even agree that the CBC doesn\u2019t generally make television content I seek out in my day-to-day life. But don\u2019t put CBC Radio in the same box.<\/p>\n

CBC Radio programming is excellent; there are vast swaths of the Canadian population who rely on it and listen every day. Do what\u2019s needed to CBC Television, but lay a finger on CBC Radio and I think there will be an uprising of disgruntled Canadians.<\/p>\n

Ellen Warkentin Winnipeg<\/p>\n

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….<\/p>\n

Letters to the Editor should be exclusive to The Globe and Mail. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. Keep letters to 150 words or fewer. Letters may be edited for length and clarity. To submit a letter by e-mail, click here: letters@globeandmail.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Open this photo in gallery: Treatment rooms in the emergency department at Peter Lougheed hospital in Calgary.Jeff McIntosh\/The…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":766713,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[49,48,84,392,60895,2922,1399],"class_list":["post-766712","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-healthcare","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-health","tag-healthcare","tag-letters-to-the-editor","tag-noastack","tag-nopolly"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/766712","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=766712"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/766712\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/766713"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=766712"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=766712"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=766712"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}