I have a fairly severe burn on my wrist that didn’t seem to be healing properly, so I got myself dropped off at the Hawkesbury and District General Hospital, registered, and prepared myself to wait in the ER for the mandatory six to eight hours.

Which doesn’t seem so bad when you know the average wait in Quebec is more than 20-hours.

Canadians are healthier and live longer than most peoples on earth, but when we’re sick we can’t find a doctor even if we’re giving away a hot intern in a BMW to anyone showing up with a stethoscope.

I have a family doctor, but if I made an appointment today it would take at least another two months to see him. I’m not sure what the point is, if I waited I’d either be dead or better.

Back in the 1980’s a bureaucrat decided there were too many doctors in Canada. So, using various methods, Canada managed to get rid of, roughly, 8,000 doctors. Almost all of them of the “family doctor” variety.

Most of those doctors moved to the United States. You’re welcome.

Now Canada has one of the most out of whack doctor to patient ratios in the civilized world. Basically, we need more family doctors. How many? Roughly 8,000.

There were dozens of articles just ten years ago about communities bribing family doctors with free rent; new modern medical facilities; Orion slave girls; free cable.

The Ontario government now forces recently graduated doctors to practice in small communities for a few years. Which is great. Except for when the doctor’s tour of duty is done, and the community is left competing for a new one.

The shot looks like it’s out of focus because most of it is, I was being all sneaky and stuff and holding the camera below my knee with all the sounds turned off. Even so, I really like the painting quality to it.