The Canadian health care system operates as a group of provincial monopolies which disallow private health care except for the wealthy, politicians, the military and professional athletes who all seem to have rapid access to alternative care. Access for an ordinary patient is restricted and controlled by the bureaucracy through rationing. Thus we have surgeons who work only half time because they can't book operating rooms, patients on gurneys in hospital hallways waiting for rooms and waits of 5 to 10 hours in clinics before you can see a doctor. The population is aging, so demand is bound to increase. There is a complete disconnect between the government provider of the money and the patient accessing the system. Costs are rising exponentially while government tax revenues are dropping. Our socialist mindset prevents governments from instituting some form of financial connect - user fees, dedicated taxes or whatever. Something has to give. Maybe the swiss model is one we should emulate but the present Canadian system is heading fro the rocks. The "entitlement culture" in both Canada and the USA can't be sustained much longer.