Canadian Health Care: Not Enough Heart

Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams is set to undergo heart surgery this week in the United States.

CBC News confirmed Monday that Williams, 60, left the province earlier in the day and will have surgery later in the week.

The premier's office provided few details, beyond confirming that he would have heart surgery and saying that it was not necessarily a routine procedure.

Deputy Premier Kathy Dunderdale is scheduled to hold a news conference to provide more details about Williams's condition, as well as how the provincial government will function during his absence.

CBC reporter David Cochrane said Williams appeared to be in good health recently. He described the premier as "fairly active," playing pick-up hockey at least once a week when work permits.(read more) And you should click on this just for the comments of Canadians complaining about the two tiered system they have and also how, if they had the cash, would certainly go to the US to save their lives in a medical emergency.

As a key official though, this is a complete vote of no-confidence of their health care system and speaks volumes of the troubles the Canadians are having with it. So of course, we've got our first contender for HYPOCRITE OF THE WEEK.

But It seems that Mr. Williams would rather be seen as a hypocrite than as a cadaver.

All said, it's not clear if he has some super rare problem that only one doctor in the US provides... but it is clear that his government will still be picking up the tab. So all of you Americans who are denied insurance coverage, I recommend you go to Canada, become the premier, and then come back for that super rare surgery you need.