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The problem with our health care system is that money must be distributed as fairly as possible, which means that some institutions get the short end of the stick and have to close down ER wards or cut the amount of available beds. All this puts an unnecessary strain on staff, which results in medical professionals "defecting" elsewhere for a lower workload and an equal or (often) higher amount of money, as Liquor Dealer said.
While it pains me to see Canadian professionals leave the country for the promise of the almighty buck, it is a reality: people want the most money for the least amount of work.
However, having a two-tier medical system would create new problems. Sure, you could choose to go to private clinics for what ails you if you have the money, but medical staff would still flock to those institutions for the same reasons they would go to the States. Poorer people would still end up shafted by the system, even if private clinics would free up public hospitals, since the government would most likely cut funding, thinking that the people now have an alternative way to get medical treatment. If you think the government wouldn't cut those funds, you are one disillusioned person.
Basically, I support our current medical system, but then again I've never had to wait 6 months for a major operation. However, specials provisions should be created to keep doctors in Canada, while nurturing the private clinics on a smaller scale to maintain R&D, because (and let's not kid ourselves here) this is where research gets done the fastest; universities don't even come close.
Also, solid benefits and a better work environment for nurses would greatly help the situation, IMO. Nurses do the grunt work and sadly remain heavily underappreciated. I'm not surprised that Quebec has seen so many nurse strikes, since they're the ones who are most in contact with patients and administer the most common care (blood tests, samples, etc.).
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A plan is just a list of things that don't happen.
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