I doubt that there are enough patients in McBride for a doctor to earn the same money that he can make in Prince George, or other parts of the Province, ie; Kelowna, Kamloops, Greater Vancouver, Vancouver Island.

Not sure what sort of incentive is needed to get doctors to work in rural areas, however the present system doesn’t seem to be working.

Train them in the North and they will stay in the North is a slick phrase, but is it actually working???

These outlying areas like Burns Lake, Vanderhoof, Ft St James, McBride, MacKenzie, etc; all have population decreases, and are hard pressed for any new industry or jobs.

I absolutely love McBride and would move there in an instant – but there is no work for me unfortunately. Actually I love most small communities (McBride especially for the mountains) but the work just isn’t there for me.

Yet 250km to the west is a University with a medical program promoted for its dedication to placing doctors in northern communities. Fail.

It’s always about money. If you announced tomorrow that you would pay a G.P. $500,000 salary – we cover all expenses, 4 weeks holidays, and weekends off – you’d be flooded with applications. Northern Health’s strategy is to try and find just the right amount to pay, to get someone to go there, without overpaying, which ironically is what we want them to do.

But while we’re talking Northern Health, I watched a guy walk out of their building, cross the street to his car, do a u-turn, and park in a different spot. So parking is about $70.00 a month, and this guy does this at least 40 times a month, so for such a high paid bunch of bureaucrats, their time doesn’t seem to be worth much to them. Unless of course, they’re moving their cars on our time – in which case then it all makes sense now.

I agree ski , it’s always about money . Somebody tell the cma and gubmint its 2015 and if you can operate on yourself in Antarctica with specialist from America in telepresents . Then seeing a specialist in mcbride on line to find out what kind of boil on your butt you have shouldn’t be a problem . Except there’s a little problem , billing and more Canadian stupidity .

And the five hundred grand you mention would buy a heck of a lot of helicopter rides .

I believe that the physicians in McBride and some other small communities in Northern Health are on salary, not pay per patient. That is probably the best way to get medical professionals into small communities by guaranteeing them an income.