Where the Canadian medical care system shines.

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Canada is much better than the U.S. as maintaining health (as opposed to treating acute situations). In addition Canadians probably exercise more and eat more wisely than United Stateseans.

The main failing in the U.S. is cultural. We have (collectively speaking) a rather backward view of health and of pursuing healthy habit. So we (collectively speaking) exercise less, eat more than we should (and the wrong kind of stuff), smoke too much and consume more alcohol than we should (collectively speaking). I am a contrarian. I ride 50-100 miles a week on my bike, weather permitting and I walk short distances (less than five miles) rather than use my car. But I am atypical for the United States.

Our medical system simply cannot overcome the results of bad habits and lack of good habits. That is why it is oriented toward acute care rather than health maintaining care.

ruveyn

One of the advantages of having a single-payer insurance system is that the system is incentivized to spend money on programs that will save it money in the long run.

So when the government puts money into promoting healthy eating, exercise and the like, it can justify that spending on the basis of ongoing savings in health care spending.

We're not always effective at it (government is much more likely to spend money on non-discretionary items, than to set money aside on discretionary spending--and cuts will always affect the latter more than the former), but at least we can make the effort.

I was coming back home from downtown Montreal, and along a stretch of highway that took 10-15 minutes to traverse, I passed 4 or 5 McDonald's, a KFC, several Quebec franchises (Belle Province, etc), Dominoes Pizza, Harvey's... fast food is endemic here as well

One of the perceived problems of public healthcare systems is that people resent having to pay for other people's bad choices. Because of this, public healthcare systems usually do attempt to change the culture. Obamacare cannot accomplish this, because under Obamacare the health system is still run by for-profit institutions. So in a way, Obamacare might be the worst of both worlds.

pure and utter bull on a global scale.

plenty of democracies are doing just fine despite not discriminating against anyone without a "significant investment".

by what concept does the mechanic work?
does people automatically change behaviors and thought patterns when they buy a plot of land?
or do they simply realize what they have always wanted and in that light why does the plot owner have any greater vested interest?
would it not be excactly because people dont have a plot of land yet that they want an efficient and functional government with a balanced economy to boot?