A lot of static is being generated to blind Vermonters to the truth of the universal health care program being developed in our Legislature. One of the biggest boogie men is the Canadian system, where people supposedly wait weeks for care and months for surgery. If any of this were accurate, how does one explain why Tommy Douglas, the "father of single-payer in Canada" was voted "The Greatest Canadian" of all time in a nationally televised contest organized by the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. in 2004. Douglas Provincial Park near Saskatchewan’s Lake Diefenbaker was named after him. A statue of him was erected in his hometown of Weyburn in October.

That represents the truth of how Canadians feel about their system.

I doubt many of the "leaders" testifying against universal care at the Legislature will receive such honors. They don’t speak the views of the majority of Vermonters. Fortunately for us, our elected representatives do.

DAVID SCHOALES
Brattleboro

Burlington Free Press