I'm struggling to feel sympathy when I hear that people who aren't citizens in this country are going to have to pay for the medical treatment they receive here. I work with Canadian citizens who are homeless, I can't get them the care they need because they can't afford it, there aren't enough supports, but I'm supposed to feel bad that newcomers to this country now have to pay out of pocket for their prescriptions and medical care? Hell, even people who have money can't get necessary medical care in a reasonable time frame. I have a friend who was in a wheelchair for a year waiting for knee surgery after a ski accident.
I'm not against immigration and I have respect for refugees, I know these people need medical treatment. But when Canadian citizens can't get reasonable care, when we have rural areas doing rolling blackouts with their ERs because of funding and staffing issues, I question our priorities.
Charity starts at home. We need to be taking care of our own. It is shameful that we have Canadians who are not receiving medical care or they have to wait so long that their conditions worsen during the interim. Canadian tax dollars should be going to Canadians first and foremost. Am I evil?? Am I being unreasonable?? What do you guys think?