Conversation on Health..Really ? One Man's Opinion

By Ben Meisner

     A conversation on health may be a great idea, but you couldn’t help but wonder why the political sides are so divided on the issue.

Last Saturday before you got to go into the, "conversation on health". You had to first listen to the positions of the NDP and the various Unions from around the province on how they felt about health care. There on Brunswick Street,  for all to see, were the stalwarts of the NDP front and center ready to make their thoughts known.

But don’t dismay, the moment that you stepped inside of the building, you were met with a chorus line, well it really wasn’t a chorus line it just appeared that way, sort of a meet and great, sort of the kind of line that you get when you go to a wedding or heaven forbid, a funeral.

Inside the hall, you immediately got the feeling that sitting here were the people from the, "other side"  who wanted to have their thoughts heard. Old right wing politicians, long ago cast out by the voters, people who have a vested interest in health care in the region and a good smattering of people of the right wing persuasion. Not exactly the kind of get togther where you would expect to have everyone  pulling on the same rope in an effort to have health care discussed which was the purpose, apparently,  of the meeting.

It was, to the letter, a well oiled meeting, and credit must be given to who ever organized it because it went off like clock work.

The problem only arises when you look at what they were trying to achieve.

If it was the intent that everyone, and I do mean everyone, from the community would get their say in what they think is the direction that health care should take in this province, you had the distinct feeling that wasn’t happening.

I didn’t see the people who I generally see walking down the avenue, those people who climb the power polls, drive the logging trucks, or weld the broken pieces, it seemed to me that instead there were a host of people who already had a heavy involvement in the health care system and they wanted more out of it.

I’m Meisner and that’s one man’s opinion

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