I saw this headline on CNN yesterday: Canadian Farmer gives Swine Flu to Pigs. Here in Canada we’ve been reassured that it is still safe to eat Canadian pigs. However, one might want to avoid Canadian farmers. It is always nice when Canada makes the international news. A while back I mentioned the severed feet that were washing up on the coast of British Columbia. Another headliner: last summer a one Greyhound passenger decapitated another one. (If you’ve ever ridden Greyhound, doing the same may have crossed your mind.) These stories get more thorough treatment in the Canadian press, of … Continue reading →

I just had my first encounter with the Canadian medical system, a “get acquainted” visit with our new primary care physician. From what my Canadian wife tells me, I demonstrated my ignorance of the Canadian political system when I attempted to explain it in a previous blog entry. So I will risk doing so again trying to explain the health care system. The primary care physician, a GP or family care doctor, serves much the same function his counterpart in the US does, dealing with general issues and making referrals to specialists as needed. There is a shortage of general … Continue reading →