The Canadian health care system is broken, very broken

I also sent a copy of this letter to all The Premiers of Canada and Premier Horgan’s Minister of Health and Attorney General and to Interior Health Authority of BC and the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC. 

I wanted to send it also to those press who were editors and publishers of newspapers across Canada. Sadly many of the individual names of these people have been removed from the contact lists of these papers. Only a few left that actually give the names of these people and an address. 

I sent it to the Premiers of Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. I sent it to the Prime Minister at his constituency office. The Premiers of Ontario and Quebec do not have a personal e-mail anymore. But I sent it to contacts in their offices – like a correspondence unit. 

As far as the written press goes there were only three large newspapers who listed their editors and had a personal e-mail. They are Dave Obee of Times Colonist, Bob Cox, Winnipeg Free Press, and David Walmsley of then Toronto Globe and Mail.

I get a form letter from Mr. Horgan. Therefore, it does not even address the content of my letter. here it is:

Hello, thank you for taking the time to write.

Due to the volume of incoming messages, this is an automated response to let you know that your email has been received and will be reviewed at the earliest opportunity.

If your inquiry more appropriately falls within the mandate of a Ministry or other area of government, staff will refer your email for review and consideration.

For information on the BC Recovery Benefit and BC’s COVID-19 Immunization Plan, please refer to the information below:

The BC Recovery Benefit is a one-time, tax-free payment of up to $1,000 for eligible families and single parents, and up to $500 for eligible individuals. For more information on how to apply, please visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/economic-recovery/recovery-benefit

BC’s Immunization Plan is designed to save lives and stop the spread of COVID-19. For more information on vaccination schedules and how to book appointments at the appropriate time, please visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/covid-19/vaccine/plan

If you are writing about COVID-19, please refer to the information below:

If you or a family member believes they are displaying symptoms of COVID-19, please complete the BC COVID-19 Self-Assessment Tool: https://covid19.thrive.health/. If the tool advises you are demonstrating relevant symptoms, please call 8-1-1 to speak with a healthcare professional.

For the answers to common questions about COVID-19, please visit:

https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/health-feature/coronavirus-disease-covid-19
http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19

Again, thank you for writing.
Sincerely,
John Horgan, Premier

As you can see this is just a regular letter that goes to whoever writes the Premier about anything. The same from his Minister of Health and Attorney General. It’s all electronically generated responses. 

Then I get electronic acknowledgements from all the Premiers except Newfoundland and Labrador. 

They just wash their hands of it. Who cares about sick patients in B.C. who cannot see a specialist? Who are actually being refused (through silence from all the specialists contacted) from seeing a specialist. 

Then there is the three press people to whom I was able to send a letter. Silence.

I also wrote the owner of Black Press, David Black in Victoria and his President, Rick O’Connor. They have community newspapers throughout B.C. and some internationally. Silence.

And the B.C. College of Physicians and Surgeons? Automated reply.

“This automated response is to confirm your email has been received by the Board Chair's office.  If you have a patient-care-quality concern, please contact the Patient Care Quality Office directly at 1-877-442-2001.  If you know the Department that you wish to contact, please call the General Inquiries automated directory at 250-862-4200. 

Thank you for your message, we will respond in order of priority. ‘

Oh, and the B.C. Interior Health Authority that is responsible for health in Dr. Hoffe’s area and who are harassing him and refusing to have someone see his patients? I sent the letter to them, too. 

Their e-mail response had an e-mail address that said: noreply@interiorhealth.ca.

And their reply:

Contact Name: Brian Peckford
Contact Phone: 250-586-3780
Contact Email: Brianpeckford@gmail.com 

The system?  Broken! Yes, and beyond repair.