Let's hear it for the Southeast Territories

For the health of Canadians, make Turks and Caicos part of the country now. The only thing we have to lose is winter. Of all the balderdash that passes for improvements to our healthcare system none could be more effective than embracing these Caribbean islands as part of the federation. With a single act snow-sick, weather-worn, blizzard-blasted Canadians would have somewhere to run that offers respite and the promise of a return to flourishing good health.

Progressive countries in northern Europe have long recognized that living in the cold and dark for half the year is deleterious to health. That's why sufferers of certain geographic-challenged chronic diseases are sent ? at government expense ? to other, more sun-drenched EU member countries during the inclement months, the south of France or the Costa del Sol in Spain, for instance. Italy is also quite pleasant in February.

Until now this country had nowhere to send such needy cases except perhaps to Florida and California. This was never an option because government recognized should these health-compromised individuals fall sick while in the US, the medical bills from the land of free enterprise would soon bankrupt us. No longer. With Turks and Caicos as a new province or territory they would fall under the Canada Health Act and be covered. How can the federal government fail to act ? they'd only be responsible for 16% of the healthcare costs in any case.
? David Elkins, Executive Editor