Michael Moore is in the making of a new “documentary” called “Sicko”. His movie will be based on the state of the U.S. healthcare system.

In the meantime, he has asked Americans to write him about their horror stories with the American system. See here.

I decided to cheat on his invitation. I’m not American, but I have written him a piece of my mind anyway. Just so he knows that the Canadian socialized healthcare system he adorns so much is incredibly flawed, not to mention unbelievably sluggish. And it’s far from free. Look at the taxes we pay. The trick is, I don’t mention I am from Canada until near the end of the letter. I’d pay to have a look at his face when he reads it… if he really does.

I encourage you to do the same if you’re Canadian and tired of our socialized healthcare system. Together we can prevent him from glorifying our ultra-deficient Canadian healthcare system in his next movie! Write him at: michael@michaelmoore.com

Here’s the letter I just sent him:

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“Dear Michael,

When I saw on your website that you were making a documentary on the state of the healthcare system in this country, I knew I HAD to send you an e-mail with my experience on the matter, as meager as it might be. The state of healthcare here is a preoccupating subject that everybody should care about.

I am 19 years old, and while I have never been really sick, I have used our healthcare system quite a good number of times. And everytime I need to go to the hospital, I become depressed and helpless. I can’t imagine I am going to have to go through the same ordeal everytime:

First, the interminable, excruciating, never-ending wait times. I’ve never waited less than 4 hours in all my life in an emergency ward to actually see a doctor. Top time I’ve waited in my life: 6 and a half hours.

Second, the experience: Once, I had strep throat. When I finally saw the doctor, he told me to go home and rest, drink a lot of liquid, the usual. I had even TOLD him I possibly had strep throat. He still didn’t believe me. I had TO COME BACK to the hospital days later, waited another 4 and half hours or so, when they finally decided they should do something. Only then they had the correct diagnosis. They finally sent me home with a prescription. Best healthcare your money can buy, right? I’m not quite sure.

Third, the costs: I’m kind of “lucky” though, our healthcare costs are covered in a “plan” which is deducted from his salary. But he has no control over costs. And it costs him around a huge $8,000 a year. And we don’t go to the hospital often. And we try to go as rarely as possible. And we have no way to get better healthcare since all hospitals are of the same quality around here.

Awful, isn’t it? And it’s not like we have much of a choice… did I forget to mention I’m Canadian?

Yep, you read right. It’s the Canadian healthcare system you admired so much in Bowling for Columbine I’m talking about. Our government-controlled socialized healthcare system won’t let us have a choice of which healthcare quality we want, unlike you guys in the States where hospitals have to COMPETE with each other. We are forced to pay for it in outrageous taxes, and the $8,000 a year figure my father pays in taxes just for healthcare costs is pretty accurate considering he earns $75,000 a year, of which about $40,000 are left after taxes have been collected from both governments. So much for free healthcare. That’s much less than what he’d be left with if we lived down South, huh? And it’s a lot more than what private healthcare insurance (HMOs) costs in the U.S. for a normal family. And yes, the 6-hour wait times are real. So is the fact that we try to avoid going to a doctor as much as possible because it is such an ordeal. Even if I’m guessing that you probably won’t use my letter in your movie, (Because I disagree with your point of view - right Michael?) let me at least tell you this: You guys don’t know how good you have it down there. The Canadian healthcare system is on the verge of collapsing completely because of its socialized state. The quality of care always goes down as more and more the system costs our two governments. I wish we had U.S. style healthcare in Canada and I’d take your healthcare over mine any day. And if you must reform your healthcare system, PLEASE do not SOCIALIZE it into one like Canada’s. It is just NOT a good idea. Create HSAs, HMOs, healthcare funds, whatever solution you can find, but DO NOT SOCIALIZE IT.

Thanks for reading,

Xavier R. Dubé
Roberval, Québec”

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That’s it. I can’t wait to see if he replies…