BIRD TALK

Dear Bird Talk,

Now that the “new” government is in place, I trust that the CSA will lobby strongly to have the provisions requiring a Canadian to spend six months in his home province to qualify for Medicare coverage.

Current rules are a form of discrimination and a sort of two tier medicine. Canadians who have worked till age 65 or more are allowed 182 days in the foreign warmer climes. Only those who have much wealth can ignore the 182 day requirement and visit family in other provinces of Canada. Here in New Brunswick, a Canadian New Brunswicker can apply for an exemption once every three years. When you are in your seventies, you don’t expect to have many three year periods. The whole thing is so ludicrous. What difference would it make to the government coffers to permit Canadian seniors to travel Canada at will after they are past 65? The new government might well put that change requirement to the provinces to make health care truly universal. Good luck.

Frank Ervin

Response:
As you may have read in the Government Relations Report in issue #51, summer 2004, the CSA is working towards a harmonization of provincial health insurance programs across Canada. This, of course, includes unlimited and unrestricted travel within Canada, along with 182 days of out-of-country travel in any 12 month period. Canadian Snowbirds should not be held hostage by their provincial residential status. Thanks for the support!