Universal Healthcare - maybe

---------------------------- Canada began (almost) universal healthcare in 1946, in a single province. By 1957, the federal government agreed to pay 50% of healthcare expenses for any province that adopted medicare. (Sorta like the proposed U.S. opt-out provision.) By 1961 all provinces had adopted some medicare plan. By 1984, the Canada Health Act was passed, requiring universal coverage. Conclusion? It'll be years (and years) before the U.S. adopts a real universal plan. But a journey of many years begins with a first bill, eh? So, are Canadians delighted with all aspects of our healthcare? Of course not! Some purchase additional (private) coverage. Some supplement the government medicare with dentistry & optometry coverage. (While at the Univ. of Waterloo, I had "extra" coverage.) Many complain of long wait times for non-urgent procedures. Some complain that the government only pays a fraction of drug costs. (Heidi & I, as "seniors", pay the first $100, each year.) 'course, many Canadians complain of the long Winters, the price of gas, the taste of McDonald's hamburgers, etc. So, would Canadians be prepared to replace our system with some other? Of course not! We, like other Homo sapiens, just like to complain.