Reply #31: alrighty then [View All]

[iverglas]

I guess that wasn't just an innocent little question after all. Nonetheless, I answered it. And you seem to have more.

Okay, now that we've cleared up immigration, how about a Universal Health plan and unchecked illegal immigration?

I give up; how 'bout it?

Was there something unclear in what I said?

A country (or subdivision of a country) that wants to adopt a single public payer health insurance plan -- what this thread is actually about -- can put whatever limits on access to the plan it wants that are consistent with its constitution (i.e. just like any other legislation).

It is consistent with the Cdn constitution that illegal residents of Canada not be granted access to the plan. Can't speak for the US constitution.

You could come back with "how about a universal health plan and the apocalypse?" and the answer would be the same. They're not related unless the country whose plan it is chooses to relate them.

You quote me: "People who would put an excessive burden on health services, or who have health conditions that put public health at risk, are not eligible for immigration." And I will point out, in case it wasn't clear: entering the country illegally does not make them eligible for coverage under a public health insurance plan.

I'll just bet there's a reason for these questions. Maybe if you shared it, I could address whatever your concerns are better.


By the way, Canada needs to repeal that agreement with the US that will return draft evaders to the US.

Hm. Is there a draft in the US? Might you more effectively say "the US needs to not institute a draft"?

But to get back on our tangent: do you have a citation for that agreement, or could you hum a little of it for me?

I don't know, maybe your government could enter into that kind of agreement and have it stick. Up here, we have a constitution that prohibits the government from doing things that violate people's fundamental rights -- and a population that gets mighty tetchy when the government tries to. We don't even return criminals to the US without an undertaking not to seek the death penalty.

I've heard about this agreement, but I've never seen it, and I can't find hide nor hair of it on the net.

You know who did use to return draft resisters to the US back in the Vietnam days? US law-enforcement types, that's who. Kinda like cattle rustlers, or bounty hunters. They'd just snatch 'em up and take 'em home.