Friday, March 20, 2009

Entitlement Mentality from the Start

I'm a big believer in immigration. It is an important thing and in the case of Canada, it is absolutely necessary because of our low birthrates.

I belong to an Immigration forum because of the computer charity I created. A woman started a forum thread entitled "Three-month waiting period for healthcare". Here are some of the entries:

When I arrived in Canada, I didn't realize there would be a three-month waiting period before I could be covered under the public health care system. [A friend even joked that I wasn't 'eligible' to fall sick for those many months!!!] Does anyone have any expeierences where you needed medical care in those first three months and weren't covered? Do many newcomers actually get private health insurance?

I came to Canada with 7 months pregnancy and me and my husband had to pay for all the costs of the delivery, including doctors and hospital. Anyway, it was very clear on the information provided by the Government of Canada that we would have the three month waiting period. If it's fair or not, its another discussion. But we have to agree that at least for the skilled workers immigrants it is clear that we have to pay for all the costs related to health care in the first three months after arrival.

Some one told me that you can get your money back after when you are covered. However I am not sure if this is correct. I think the time for the medical cover takes 4 months. First month you have to wait for your bank statement to come thru post which takes 1 month and then 3 months for medical. May be you can show some other document perhaps such as accommodation but I am not sure. Waiting for my bank statement to come really then I will initiate my medical process. In fact I have my phone bill arrived thru posts but the medical centre did not accept this as a valid proof of residence.

Is it just me, or have these people already forgotten about what the word "privilege" means and instead converted them to "rights"? Whatever happened to newcomers wanting to come to Canada to work hard and make a contribution? Now it seems some of these folks already have the entitlement mentality from the get go. This is beyond sad.

1 comment:

David in North Burnaby BC said...

To be fair, it was what Turdeau and his ideological heirs have wrought of the indigenous "English Canadian" culture (which he despised) that created the system these people are working and the sense of entitlement it creates.
On the other hand, if covering sketchy health care costs were the worst part of it, well, we could all sleep better at night.