It’s Thanksgiving Monday here in Canada. Me and mine have much to be thankful for today, having narrowly avoided a serious health crisis among one of our own. So this Thanksgiving I am grateful for the blessing of good health, and I can even appreciate the reminder not to take it for granted. I am also extremely appreciative of our Canadian health care system; while no one can accuse it of being perfect, most of the time it does what it needs to, and often it does it very well. The care that was given in our situation from every one of the nurses and physicians was outstanding, so this is my shout out to them – THANK YOU!! And let’s not forget while most Canadians are sitting around a Thanksgiving feast with family and friends, there are countless healthcare workers who are spending today in a hospital or care facility looking after those who aren’t able to look after themselves.
If I haven’t said it here recently, I will say it now: I love Canada, it is a wonderful country to live in. And our universal health care system is amazing! As none other than (Canadian) Justin Bieber said in an interview this year with Rolling Stone Magazine, when asked about becoming an American citizen:
“You guys are evil. Canada’s the best country in the world. We go to the doctor and we don’t need to worry about paying him, but here, your whole life, you’re broke because of medical bills. My bodyguard’s baby was premature, and now he has to pay for it. In Canada, if your baby’s premature, he stays in the hospital as long as he needs to, and then you go home.”
So I will be toasting those (mostly unsung) heroes of our healthcare system today, as I tuck into my turkey and dressing. I hope each of you, too, will find something to be truly thankful for today, whether or not you are officially celebrating Thanksgiving!
