Watch Jim Carrey School Americans On Canadian Healthcare
The concept of universal healthcare is a political football in America, where citizens receive health coverage through a variety of insurance plans, federal Medicare, or, often, not at all.
Despite the fact that the American system has been widely criticized as inefficient and unaffordable for many, Republicans in particular tend to blast Canada’s universal health care system. Last September, Vice President Mike Pence told a radio station, “I probably don’t need to tell the people in Alaska about the failings of national socialized health care because it’s right in our neighbour and you see the results every day.”
But Canadian actor Jim Carrey is having none of it. During an appearance on Real Time With Bill Maher, Carrey launched into a defence of Canadian health care.
“I grew up in Canada, OK? We have socialized medicine. And I’m here to tell you that this bullshit line that you get on all of the political shows from people is that it’s a failure. The system is a failure in Canada. It is not a failure in Canada,” Carrey told Maher.
“I never waited for anything in my life. I chose my own doctors. My mother never paid for a prescription. And I just got back from Vancouver and I keep hearing this ‘Canadians are so nice. Canadians are so nice.’ They can be nice because they have health care, because they have a government that cares about them, that doesn’t say ‘sink or fucking swim pal.’”
Carrey’s comments were met with laughter and applause.
He continued by saying that poor and sick people should be taken care of.
“You shouldn’t have to lose your home because your mother got sick.”
In reaction to the speech, former presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders tweeted “.@JimCarrey is right. If Canada can provide health care to everyone, the U.S. can too. #MedicareForAll.”
After being elected, President Donald Trump has repeatedly attempted to repeal Obamacare—legislation passed by former President Barack Obama to make it easier for uninsured Americans to receive health care.
While Carrey raised valid points about Canada’s health care system, it is not without flaws—emergency room and surgical wait times continue to be a major issue across the country.
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