“It’s my heart, my choice.”
This was the explanation given by Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams on why he opted to go to Florida for a heart procedure, rather than have it done in his home province.
Few would argue the premier has the right to choose what he does to his body. But as a political leader he is accountable to his province and owes them, and the rest of the country, an explanation.
The symbolic meaning of his decision is undeniable.
As the premier, Williams is privy to a great deal of information about the ins and outs of the health-care system. He knows where it excels and where it flounders.
The premier of a province should make it his duty to provide the best care for all. Yet his decision implies the best care is only available to those with the income and resources to seek it out.
If Canada’s system is not good enough for him, why should it be for anyone else?
Initially Williams claimed the minimally invasive heart procedure he required was not available in Canada. However, his office quickly back-pedaled when the media discovered that surgeons in Ontario are considered world leaders in valve repair. Maclean’s reported that two Canadian physicians wrote the ‘how-to’ paper on valve repair last year.
Long wait times have been the traditional complaint with Canada’s universal health-care system, but this should not have been a factor in Williams’ decision. Several media outlets have reported the wait would not have been more than a few weeks.
Williams may have had a perfectly logical reason for going to Florida for the operation.  One would assume Williams carefully weighed his options before opting to pay a great deal of money to leave the country. However, he has remained mum on his reasons, simply quipping that he didn’t hand over his right to seek out the best care possible when he entered politics.
These words make one think he does not have faith in the quality of health care available in Canada.  It revisits the old private-public debate and does little to instill faith in the effectiveness of our system. Not to mention it evokes issues of trust in a premier who seems to believe his standard of care should be different from everyone else’s.
The public deserves answers, and it is about time Williams starts providing them.