Dental plan is kick in teeth; where carbon tax should go

Canada’s new dental strategy is a kick in the enamel

Apparently 1.7 million uninsured seniors have registered for Canada’s new multi-billion greenback dental gain strategy billed as “free.”

Created to cover oral health and fitness treatment for people with an annual home money of beneath $70,000, it’s set to start out in early Could for those aged 70 furthermore.

The fact is that it’s like pulling teeth to get any details about what is coated in this program from both the government or any of the 30,500 dental treatment specialists in this country.

A modest-revenue pensioner, I’ve paid visits to two dentists in the first 4 months of this yr, (1 a normal observe dentist and the other a periodontist). Neither intend to sign up for the new system. The final result — I’m even now envisioned to shell out a thousand dollars or much more yearly in out-of-pocket charges for dental treatment.

It appears to be 61 for every cent of dentists surveyed final month by their provincial associations indicated that they will not sign contractual agreements with the government’s new dental coverage system.

Apparently the new software covers only some sorts of dental function and reimburses dental well being care suppliers at a lower charge than charges encouraged by the several dental associations. To best it all off, the 2024 Canadian Dental Care Strategy guideline even now hasn’t been revealed.

I can only conclude that the Liberal govt and their NDP allies have bitten off more than they can chew. Clearly, their dental program is an unwell-conceived system without the need of any tooth. May well the Power of the Fangs be with you evermore.

Victoria Adams

Victoria

Follow the U.S. direct with council pay back raises

Victoria councillors have voted to ask the province to minimize councillors of the load of choosing their charge of spend. This will absolutely call for extra surveys and reports and consultations.

There is a more quickly and simpler way to close the hand-wringing that normally accompanies this exercise. It is the most new amendment to the U.S. Constitution, adopted in 1992, about the payment of senators and users of the Household of Representatives.

This is the whole text of the 27th modification: “No legislation, various the compensation for the companies of the Senators and Reps, shall take outcome, till an election of Representatives shall have intervened.”

It doesn’t get less difficult than that. I really do not feel we really should abide by the American illustration in quite a few techniques, but this a person is a beacon of clarity and fairness.

It does not make any difference no matter whether the shell out is set by elected officials, a special fee, a court of regulation, or throwing a dart at a listing of quantities the new price of fork out will come into impact just after the next election.

There is a single section of this we must not emulate. The U.S. Congress took much more than 202 decades to ratify this amendment. That is a report for amendments, ahead of the runner-up (driving, really) by far more than 199 decades.

I hope the town and province can do superior than that.

George Jamieson

Victoria

More feelings to ponder about Victoria

I question why town planners are laying down superior concrete curbs for bicyclists together perfectly good roadways, so targeted visitors would be fully snarled for emergency autos to progress if an earthquake or disaster did hit.

And why we really don’t use reflective paint on the roads to make lanes obvious throughout a rainstorm at night?

Why are adorable minimal concrete medians are mounted between lanes, when a wider lane here and there would be safer?

Why do bicycle lanes just instantly close, or just quickly start out on a whim on some roadways? Why are new curbs along bicycle lanes not all rolled?

Why are there so lots of potholes? Why does a parked auto get ticketed mainly because the bumper is a single foot in excess of a red or yellow painted curb?

Why can a neighbour establish a sixplex beside houses that have been in a one-loved ones residential place for 60 years and there is by now not plenty of parking.

So a lot of matters to question about.

Shirley McGowan

Victoria

Just place the carbon tax income into basic accounts

Whomever made the carbon tax built 1 error or two.

Very first, the carbon tax need to be 1 way, with no returns to the taxpayers. The tax dollars should go into the authorities financial institutions to spend down the debt which is enormous.

Just administrating the return cheques is a massive price tag to us taxpayers, indeed we fork out for that, possibly $10-15 per cheque or extra. Why was the tax intended with a modest return cheque?

This will make the individual acquiring the cheque “feel” that we are having some thing for nothing at all from the governing administration, so now we ought to vote for that party, to keep finding much more funds from the govt.

The return cash was a advertising place for the federal government to simplicity us into accepting the tax and however vote for them.

I believe that lots of Canadians would accept the tax if it only went to pay back down the financial debt and not employ hundreds to administrate the sending of cheques to make us experience excellent.

We are not that stupid, are we?

J.I. Hansen

North Saanich

Beware individuals unintended implications

The NDP government’s legislation to “allow arrest for faculty disruptions” may have unintended outcomes adversely impacting their union supporters.

How will the legislation be used if academics and/or guidance unions impede public obtain to schools or create other disruptions, in link with a authorized strike or illegal wildcat walkout?

Don Graham

Chemainus

Many thanks for the bouquets, Saanich parks employees

Many thanks to Saanich parks workers’ thoughtfulness. The other working day when I was at the Cedar Hill rec centre I learned that outside the house the entrance door there was a really massive bucket of h2o, chockablock comprehensive of daffodils for the taking, minimize in the course of the program of their gardening workday.

I came house with my bicycle laden and experienced barely built a dent in the significant yellow ball of sunshine.

So I thank you for producing this outdated duck really joyful!

Anne (Hertzberg) Christensen

Victoria

Let university buses block extra lanes of the highway

Is it not feasible for bus drivers to halt and place the college bus diagonally on two-lane roadways to block both sides when learners disembark safely and securely off the bus?

I imagine it can be completed quickly sufficient to allow the driver to have on to the upcoming stop with out far too significantly targeted traffic disruption.

No matter whether or not they could get an exemption from rules that limit the legality of it, I believe it looks like a very simple answer to keep the youngsters safe.

Norm Kemp

Saanich

Retired doctor praises Royal Jubilee Clinic

I am a retired loved ones doctor. I was lately admitted by ambulance to the Royal Jubilee Medical center.

From the crisis responders to the clinic workers (nurses, health professionals, porter, aides) my care was much above my expectations. The overall health-care system at the Jubilee is alive and well.

Staff members are compassionate and welcoming. The treatment method was considerate and prompt.

Thanks to all the overall health-treatment employees at the Jubilee Medical center in Victoria.

Suzanne Longpre

Victoria

B.C.’s clinical method requires to be set

On March 7, I suffered intense soreness and issue respiratory. I called 911 and I was taken by ambulance to the Royal Jubilee Clinic where I was admitted.

Extensive diagnostics have been carried out, and it was determined there would be operation. I was educated that the treatment would choose put on March 19, or probably March 20, 21, 22 or 23, or lastly March 24.

On March 24, while waiting around for surgical procedures, I was informed that it would not take place that working day. I was rebooked for March 27. At the scheduled time, I was instructed that it was delayed again it was eventually cancelled. Last but not least, it was slated for March 29.

The surgical procedure happened on March 29 and I was discharged on April 1. I was at the hospital for 24 days for a method that typically requires a quick time in the medical center.

I have an understanding of the difficulty was the obtain to the working rooms and availability of staff, that there are basically not more than enough operating rooms or staff to fulfill the surgical prerequisites.

I am grateful to the clinic personnel who do a exceptional career less than very challenging ailments. I am grateful to the fantastic medical practitioners, nurses and assistants who go above and over and above to make sure the properly-currently being of people and make do with the accessible assets.

Nonetheless, there ought to be better techniques to administer our important and minimal professional medical system. There will have to be sufficient and vital funding supplied so that our health-related program will be out there to all in their important professional medical needs in a timely way.

Roger Cyr

Victoria

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