Stifling conversation

In case there was any doubt whether Gordon Campbell and PMS were generally working from the same playbook, NUPGE notes that Campbell's laughable "conversation" on health care will deliberately segregate health-care workers from the main discussion:

The Liberal government of B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell should reverse its plan to exclude health care providers from the 16 regional public forums that are the centerpiece of the $10-million Conversation on Health, say unions representing more than 100,000 B.C. health care workers...

Citizens who register to be one of the 100 participants randomly selected for the 16 regional forums – but identify themselves as health care professionals – will be segregated from the public meetings.

The unions say health care providers should be able to engage in the public forums on the same basis as other citizens who live, work and access health care in their communities. Citizens also have the right to hear from those who deliver health care services directly to their families, they argue.

Reversing the decision as to who's allowed to participate would solve part of the problem. But the larger issue is the obvious predetermination of the final outcome in favour of privatization - which presumably won't be affected no matter how the process is improved. Which should make it all the more clear that the only really important conversation surrounding health care in British Columbia is one as to how to remove Campbell from power.