I know that the CMA is involved in many good causes (but) two issues, one recent, and the other ongoing, illustrate really how much influence the CMA has in Ottawa. The marijuana fiasco is the recent one. The other is the GST issue that the CMA seems to have forgotten about. My advice to CMA: tell Allan Rock and his empire that you are done talking to them until they settle the GST issue; my opinion of the CMA is proportionate to its failure in this regard. The marijuana fiasco should correct any delusion of grandeur the CMA has in regard to its political influence. Sometimes I get the impression the CMA is more concerned about its political connections than the dues paying members.
Wesley Steed, MD
Taber, AB

CMA President Dr. Henry Haddad responds:
CMA Interface was created so CMA members could raise and discuss issues that they feel are important, and that they feel their colleagues may find important. Therefore, we try to avoid cluttering up the page with responses from the Association. However the issues raised by Dr. Steed merit a response if, for no other reason, than to make it clear that the CMA shares his frustration. We have fought hard against the unfair application of the GST on physicians' practices since its inception and the CMA continues to urge the government to amend the Excise Tax Act to correct the situation. That the answer to date has been "no" is extremely frustrating, but we cannot let one issue preempt discussion on other important issues facing physicians and Canada's health care system. This issue is far from closed and the CMA continues to press the government on the GST. Marijuana is another trying issue, which we must remember only arose because of a court judgement that led to a wrong-headed political decision. The CMA was quick to condemn Health Minister Allan Rock's decision to download the responsibility of deciding who should get access to medicinal marijuana, citing the paucity of scientific review of safety, purity and efficacy as the primary reasons. Although we pledged to work with Health Canada on finding an acceptable solution to facilitate the compassionate medical use of marijuana and the monitoring of the outcomes of that use, that should not be seen as a capitulation to the interests of government. We continue to oppose the current Health Canada regulations on medical use of marijuana, and have called on Health Canada to immediately implement a regulatory review process.
Henry Haddad, MD
CMA president

Creative history?

Three times during the past year the CBC has aired a program about Tommy Douglas and the origins of Medicare in Saskatchewan. Each time I fumed and while it is now almost ancient history, I would like to set the record straight. The program begins with Shirley Douglas describing her father Tommy's passionate commitment to Medicare by relating the story from 1930 of a pregnant woman in Weyburn, Sask. who was denied a needed cesarean section because of her inability to pay the doctor's bill. The woman died, the baby died, and the husband subsequently committed suicide. This story seems to signal a crying need for significant change in a system that would so callously allow a woman and her baby to die due to a lack of money to pay for necessary care. However, I believe there is more to the story. In 1930, in Weyburn, there were two surgeons who were perfectly capable of performing a cesarean section. One was my father Dr. James E. McGillivray, and the other was Dr. Hilton S. Good. I cannot believe that either one of them would have allowed this woman to die, with her baby, because of any monetary consideration. She may have had no money, but she would not have been asked for any before surgery was advised and carried out. That was just not done in those days in that city. There may have been other factors that led to her death and anyone familiar with obstetrics knows that catastrophes do occur with great rapidity, but the details are unknown. I stand by my opinion that neither of these two capable and thoughtful medical practitioners would have allowed this patient to die for lack of money. It is a falsehood that Mr. Douglas repeated. It served him well in his political career, but it should not be perpetuated.
J.W. McGillivray, MD
Collingwood, Ont.