hello folks: I thought everyone on this list 
would likely be very interested in report 
illuminating the sad state of affairs within the 
Canadian Medical association and the assault on medicare


>August 24, 2007
>
>UPDATE FROM THE CMA MEETING - Vancouver August 19-22
>
>Dear Colleagues:
>
>We have just returned from the Canadian Medical 
>Association annual meeting where Dr. Brian Day 
>officially became President of CMA. In light of 
>the week’s events, it is now more clear than 
>ever that the voice and perspective provided by 
>Canadian Doctors for Medicare is a vital one.
>
>Near-Miss on Motion to Support User Fees for Services Covered by Medicare
>
>A motion from the OMA caucus to open the Canada 
>Health Act and with a view to establishing 
>"co-payments and health savings accounts," was 
>defeated only by the narrowest of margins,  with 
>50% of voting delegates opposed, 48% in favour and 2% abstaining.
>
>This despite the overwhelming Canadian and 
>international evidence that user 
>fees/co-payments threaten access to care for the 
>most vulnerable populations, do not decrease 
>“unnecessary” physician visits, and do not curb healthcare costs.
>
>Though we were relieved that the motion did not 
>pass, it is disturbing to think that nearly half 
>of voting delegates could consider supporting a 
>motion so out of touch with the evidence, with 
>the views of Canadians, and with the values of 
>Medicare.  Physicians should not be at the 
>vanguard of advocating measures which are 
>unpalatable to expert bodies, policy-makers and 
>politicians of every stripe. To come so close to 
>doing so only risks further marginalizing the 
>profession. We certainly intend to follow up 
>with delegates with an evidence-based 
>backgrounder on user fees and co-payments.
>The fact that this resolution garnered such 
>substantial minority support affirms the 
>critical need for physicians who oppose such 
>measures to express their views by joining 
>CDM.  On this basis, we ask you to forward this 
>email to several colleagues and encourage them 
>to join us 
>at 
><http://www.canadiandoctorsformedicare.ca/membershiprenewal.html>http://www.canadiandoctorsformedicare.ca/membershiprenewal.html
>
>
>
>Canadian Doctors for Medicare A Strong Presence at Council
>
>We had a prominent display table outside the 
>General Council meeting room, which was well 
>received by many physicians, did many media 
>interviews, and personally delivered 300 CDM 
>information folders to delegates and media containing:
>
>·         Backgrounders on the reality of 
>parallel private systems in western Europe and 
>the “payment by results” method of hospital funding
>
>·         A new brochure on CDM and our goals
>
>·         Success stories in Medicare – evidence 
>of how our system’s challenges can be overcome 
>without sacrificing our values of equity, 
>efficiency, and quality for all our patients
>
>·         A list of academic references in 
>support of publicly funded health care
>
>·         An invitation to a free film screening 
>following the CMA welcome reception – see below!
>
>CDM Hosts Standing-Room Only Screening of Sicko! for MDs and the Public
>
>Immediately following the CMA welcome reception, 
>CDM board members Danielle Martin and Bob 
>Woollard presented a modified version of our new 
>Grand Rounds on the evidence for 
>publicly-funded, single payer health care to a 
>packed audience of physicians and members of the 
>public. We followed this with a free screening 
>of Michael Moore’s SICKO! The event was so 
>well-attended that we had to turn over 50 people away at the door.
>
>
>Canadian Doctors for Medicare Views Shared by the Majority of CMA Members
>
>
>
>
>While the CMA leadership did not draw attention 
>to this, the CMA’s own online member 
>consultation survey released in 'Conversations 
>with Colin' confirmed that 60% of physicians 
>believe our current mix of public funding should 
>either be maintained or the public portion 
>expanded, with only 38% in favour of increasing 
>the private proportion of healthcare spending.
>
>CDM Board Meeting Outcomes
>
>We had a very productive Board meeting while in 
>Vancouver, attended by several Vancouver-based 
>CDM members as well as the Board and advisors. 
>Stay tuned for an invitation to our first 
>official Annual Meeting of Members, likely to 
>take place in January 2008! In the meantime, we 
>will be launching our Grand Rounds at the 
>upcoming Royal College and CFPC meetings in the 
>fall…stay tuned for more information!
>
>Good news on CMA Motions Advocating for Expansion of Medicare
>In spite of the near miss on user fees, many 
>positive motions were passed at the CMA meeting. 
>These included motions supporting:
>
>    * Several motions in support of extended public drug coverage
>    * Provision of coverage of all drugs and immunizations to children
>    * Social insurance to cover long term care
>    * A review of the international evidence on payment by results
>
>Overall, this year’s CMA Council meeting raised 
>the profile of our organization and ensured that 
>a balanced perspective on Medicare-related 
>issues was provided both to delegates and the media.
>As Brian Day takes on the CMA Presidency with an 
>ambitious plan to push for increased access to 
>private insurance, investor-owned, for-profit 
>delivery, “competition” in healthcare and 
>“choice” for patients, it is more important than 
>ever that physicians who believe in the principles of Medicare speak up!
>Thank you for your support of Canadian Doctors for Medicare.
>
>With best regards,
>The CDM Board of Directors
>
>Dr. Dale Dewar, Wynyard, Saskatchewan
>Dr. John Gillis, Halifax, Nova Scotia
>Dr. Nuala Kenny, Halifax, Nova Scotia
>Dr. Mark Lachmann, Toronto, Ontario
>Dr. Danielle Martin, Toronto, Ontario (Chair)
>Dr. Margaret McGregor, Vancouver, British Columbia
>Dr. Maurice McGregor, Montreal, Quebec (Vice-Chair)
>Dr. Robert McMurtry, London, Ontario
>Dr. John Morse, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
>Dr. Tom Noseworthy, Calgary, Alberta (Secretary Treasurer)
>Dr. James Orbinski, Toronto, Ontario
>Dr. Paul Saba, Montreal, Quebec
>Dr. John Wade, Manitoba
>Dr. Robert Woollard, Vancouver, British Columbia 
>(Executive Committee, Member-at-Large)
>Dr. Irfan Dhalla, Toronto, Ontario
>Dr. Simon Turcotte, Montreal, Quebec
>Jonathon DellaVedova, Medical Student, Sudbury, Ontario
>Joanna Oda, Medical Student, Ottawa, Ontario
>
>
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>- Release Date: 22/08/2007 6:51 PM
>
>
>

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