Of course after a decade of cuts by our Conservative overlords, it has been strained to the limit. But it is STILL much cheaper overall, and STILL covers every citizen from birth to death. How is this not an improvement? How is finally adopting the principle that healthcare, like primary education, is a right and not a privilege, not a step forward?

Do you have to wait sometimes for a year for a non-emergency surgery? Yes. I had to wait almost a year for a knee surgery. But a life-threatening injury or illness, you are treated right away. Its a small price to pay for living in a country where you never have to worry about healthcare bills. Even when unemployed, between jobs, and poor. Where you never have to worry about changing doctors, or private companies telling you, sorry, they can't cover you because of some precondition.

Yes, under the Cons, they have privatized as much as they can get away with, like blood testing and xrays etc.. but The Canada Heath Act remains intact. Yes if you have enough money you can travel and/or pay more somewhere else for quicker service. But that would go on regardless.

Sounds like you have swallowed Harper's bait. Like all Cons, they con you into thinking social programs are "unsustainable", and spreads talking points like "its going down the toilet" and then defund them to the point that their prediction starts to come true. Its the same everywhere, as our friends down south will attain to. I expect with Trudeau and more sane leadership, things will improve again.