By Darling Nicky

Free health care? Who knew?

“I get that hospitals need to generate funding, but they need to find another way. What happened to bake sales?” via @darlingnicky999 on Twitter

Before I start taking any potshots at Ontario hospitals over the issue of paid parking, let’s make it clear that although the system is not perfect, we do have the benefit of having quality health care available to us in this province and that despite penalizing me just because I need to leave my car somewhere on your premises in order that I make use of these wonderful services, I am very grateful for the broken bones you have helped mend and the gall bladders you have removed.

However, this debate that Dr. Rajendra Kale of Ottawa sparked in her editorial in Monday’s Canadian Medical Association Journal certainly got a rise out of people on both side of the issue. On the one-hand we certainly appreciate that maintaining a high traffic parking lot from landscaping to snow removal has a cost tied to it, but with some lots charging more than $20/day with hundreds of workers, patients, and visitors bound to that fee, how many flowerbeds are we really talking here? Not trying to diminish the benefit of the free health care we receive once inside the building, but according to Section 3 of the Canadian Health Act from 1984, it states:

“…to protect, promote and restore the physical and mental well-being of residents of Canada and to facilitate reasonable access to health services without financial or other barriers.” - Canadian Health Act (CHA)

I have often been to the hospital where because of the long wait to be seen, I have had to return to the car to move the car off the premises and park at the Tim Horton’s down the street because in the heat of the moment, verifying how much cash I have in my wallet is less of a priority than getting my feverish vomiting child to the ER. Last summer, I racked up a $150 parking bill because I visited a friend daily for a week that had reconstructive surgery and couldn’t perform basic tasks on his own. It’s not as though a nurse was going to stay bedside ‘round the clock, so my visits filled in the voids of my friend’s care. Shoot, I should have been getting paid!

There has to be another way for hospitals to generate this revenue. People don’t go to hospitals because it’s a great hang-out joint. You are either sick and need treatment, are visiting someone who is, or you work there. And if my heart starts racing because I’m worried about my car getting ticketed, I don’t know how that promotes my overall health and well-being.

“Metered parking at hospitals is even worse because in addition, you’re also fighting against the clock. Guess burst appendix has to wait.” via @darlingnicky999 on Twitter

Catchin’ the Vybz

“OKAY! I get it now! Kris Jenner is Vybz Kartel’s Publicist. Phew! Makes sense.” via @darlingnicky999 on Twitter

The Internet went crazy this morning with reports that Dancehall superstar Vybz Kartel (née Adidja Palmer) had escaped from the Horizon Adult Remand Center in Jamaica where he’s been held since October 1, charged in two homicides. The story claimed that he had conspired with other prisoners and used a prison maintenance truck to escape with 12 others. Allegedly, one guard even suffered a heart attack and died during the commotion.

Jamaican police however did not waste any time posting their rebuttal to this claim, stating that no such escape took place and to quote Assistant Commissioner of Police les Green,

“I know nothing about that. If that had taken place I would certainly have known,” Green said.

It doesn’t matter how many times we’ve been duped by celebrity publicity schemes in the past, like gullible babies, the public at large loves to take a good story and run with it; this only proving more and more that the same social power that can be harnessed over the internet for an Occupy movement can rally the same steam for a pile of rubbish like the Great Cake Soap Escape.

From the man that has bleached his skin, tattooed most of his body, starred in the virally popular reality series Teacha’s Pet, oh and how could I forget, assumed the throne as the current King of Dancehall, why would we expect anything less?

#thatswhatSHEsaid

Darling Nicky is an entertainment writer, blogger and publicist. Check out her out at www.darlingnicky.ca

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