B.C. LUMBER WORKER

1

ROYAL CITY DELEGATION

LAST MINUTE check over of Agenda is made by these Ladies Auxiliary delegates of Local 1-357, IWA., at-
tending the Ladies Conference, February 14th-17th, in the Hotel Georgia. From left, Sophia Rosen, Esther
Spooner, Mary Brown, Margaret Nashnik (Chairman), Gladys Alsbury (Secretary), Margurite Gobin.

“What We Need In Canada
Is A New Health Plan”

By PEG STEWART

It must be maddening to be a good doctor with patients
who are not very well off, these days. So much has been
discovered about diagnosing diseases, so much has been dev-
eloped in new treatments, new drugs, new, ways of operat-
ing; but all these things have to be paid for by somebody.

And if people fall between the
groups that can afford to be ill,
paying their bills as they come up,
or belonging to some prepaid
medical plan, and the groups that
can be looked after free, the char-
ity cases—these in-between people,
which means most of us— just
have to go without the benefits of
medical science,

Canadian Wages
When I say “most of us”, I don’t
mean me—and I probably don’t

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mean you. But according to the
last census figures, 56% of the
wage earning heads of families in
Canada earned less than $2,500 a
year.

I know one doctor who treats
a lot of patients under the Work-
men’s Compensation Board. He
loves it, because those patients
can have what they need in the
way of treatment, operations, after
care, and the rest. That’s a gov-
ernment agency, of course. By the
way, this doctor tells me the forms
are far easier to fill out and there’s
far less red tape than in insurance
case: i

But of course Workmen's Com-
pensation just covers men and wo-
men who are hurt on the job. It
leaves out the rest of the family,
and it leaves out the workmen who
are hurt or get sick on their own
time.

Printers of
The B.C.
LUMBER WORKER

Health Plan

What we have to have in this
country is a complete health plan
that we'll all pay for, in small
amounts, in taxes; and that we'll
all benefit from, in whatever
amounts, and for whatever length
of time, we need. Our doctors must
be free to prescribe the necessary
treatments and the necessary medi
cines, knowing that the patient will
not have to cripple himself fin-
ancially to avoid being crippled
physically.

We must learn to look after
ourselves, with our doctor's help.
That means regular physical ex-
aminations, and heading off the
small ailments that may develop
into serious trouble. A few months
ago there was a great furor in the
papers—the government was twist-
ing around to slap itself on the
back in congratulation for the
chest X-rays that help fight T.B.

They're a very good thing, but
the very fuss made over them
points up the fact that we take it
for granted that in most fields
disease can creep up on us and
pounce. We don't even look around

LW. BUN Ub

LIMITED

to see if we're safe.

Best Treatment

We should be able to take it for
granted that people with serious,
long term illnesses like T.B., can-
cer, arthritis, multiple sclerosis
and all the other horrors, will get
the best treatment in the best sur-
roundings that modern science has
to offer. What possesses us to
leave so many of these things to
the mercy of charity drives? And
most of them are the very things
that are not covered in our “health
plans”.

The doctors should be able to
take it for granted that they’ll be
paid for the work they do. I know
as well as you do that there are
some doctors who have substi-
tuted the dollar sign for the sym-
bol that decorates their graduation
diploma; but there are many more
who look after. the people who
need them even when they know
they're going to have to whistle
for their fee. And we needn’t
worry about the beautiful relation-
ship between doctor and patient
being spoiled, either. Or why
would the doctors sponsor. pre-
paid plans? Hmmm?

We can't-get a complete health
plan working in a year, nor in ten
years. It takes too long to build
hospitals and train doctors and
nurses for that. But putting off
the start only ‘delays the finish
more. It's better to “make do”
with the foundations of a sound
new system than to “make do”
with the crumbling foundations
and leaky roof of the old.

C_ Seek

Vancouver General
Sisters Olive Whitehouse and Alice
Bowman of the LA Local 1-217, IWA.,
Visited the following patients’ in the
Vancouver General Hospital March
10th, distributing candy, cigarettes
and’ copies of the B.C. Lumber

Worker.
TB WARD

D. Chong—well.
J, Poncelet—Going back to Victoria.
York—Fine.
Goddard—Fine.

HEATHER ANNEX
Delaire—Well.

o’Br
Larson—Fine.
Walsuk—Fine.
Ritz—Fine.
Lind—Fine.
Strong—Fine.
Krone—Fine.
|, SJolander—Fine.
Wanas—Fine.
;_Alaric—Fine.
Sisters A. Brown and G. Pither of
the LA Local 1-217, IWA., visited
the following patients in the Van-
couver General Hospital March 10th,
distributing candy. cigarettes and
copies of the B.C. Lumber Worker.
WARD D
F. Berchtold, Rock Creek—Injured
hand.
Dave McGown, Lone Butte—Broken
back.
Jacob Jansen, J. R. Murray—Tll.
J. K, Gray, Ocean Falls
WARD E
F. Pikowich, Camp “A”
Broken back.
Vv. Syttami,
Broken back.
John Halvarson, Terrace—Knee op-
eration,
Albion Weston,
and leg injur
Dave Black, Spring House District—
Injured leg.
P. Moskowic, Vancouver—Head and
leg injuries
: WARD S
Leslie Mitchell, Camp
wood—Internal injuri
H. Singh, Empire Box-
Kapur Singh, Norwoot
jured leg.
L. Corriveau, Englewood — Stomach
injuries.
Tom Bail, Vancouver — Fractured
ankle and shoulder.
Glen Young, Englewood—Broken leg.
George Blue, Englewood — Broken
hip.
Haroid Thorton, MacMillan & Bloedel
—Operation.
Stan Quaye, Creston—Broken_ back.
8. Vissier, Vancouver Island—Broken
pelvis.
Ross Feltis, Vancouver — Fractured

spine.
WARD T
F. Fagernas, Pitt Lake—Heart at-
tack,

John Arnold, Bryan Logging—Powell
River,

PEOMRR>OR

a

Englewood

imp “A’” Englewood—

Kellsey Bay—Arm

" Engle-

injured arm.
Lumber—In

Roy Wilson,
Operation.
J. Mustart, New Castle, Jervise In-
let—Fractured rib.
Sisters A. Brown and G, Pither of
visited

Red Band Shingle —

the LA Local 1-217, TWA.

the following patients in

couver General Hospital M

distributing candy, cigarettes and

copies of the B.C. Lumber Worker.
WARD D

Jacob Jansen, J.

R. Murray—m.

Lest dD

Dave McGowen, Lone Butt—Broken
back,

H. Robertson, Winter Harbour. |

F. Berchtold, Rock Creek—Injured

back,

K. Gray, Ocean Falls.

A. Pruffé, Prince George—Injure

back.

S. Johnston, Kamloops—Skull frac-
ture.

WARD E

N. R. Collins, L. & K, Lumber—Ill

F. Pikowich, Camp “A” Englewood—
Broken back,

V. Syttami, Camp “A” Englewood—
Broken back,

Steve Kachmar, Kennedy Lake Log-
ging.

P. Moskower,
leg and head.
WARD S
L. Corriveau, Englewood—Stomach

Vancouver — Injured

injurie:
Kapur Singh, Norwood Lumber —
Leg injuries.

Tom Ball, Vancouver — Fr:
ankle and shoulder.

jesorde) Blue, Englewood — Broken
hip.

Stan, Quaye, Creston—Broken_back.

B. Vissier, Vancouver Island—Broken
pelvis." .

Ross Feltis, Vancouver—Fractured

spine.

; WARD T
J. Mustart, New Castle, Jervise In-
let—Fractured

ib.
F. Fagernas, Pitt Lake—Heart at-
tack.

Victoria Hospitals
Sick and injured members of Loc:

ctured

1-118, IWA., in hospitals in Victor
are:

ke in-

J. Tagart, C.P
hospitalized

be hospitalized some time
R. Ireland, B.C.F.P, Sawmill—frac-

tured foot.
Cc. Dumaresq, B.C.F.P. Plywood —

“acerated arm.
Royal Columbian

Sisters Velma Vandale and Ester
Spooner of the LA Local 1-357, IWA.,
visited the following patients’ in the
Royal Columbian Hospital during
March distributing candy, cigarettes
and copies of the B.C. Lumber
Worker.
John White, B.C. Forest—Broken leg.
Bob Trudeau, B.C. Forest—Crushed
calf muscle,
R. Gabara, Whonnoch—Car accident.
D: Campbell, Johnston Mill— Foot
infury.
M. Bartminas, Port Kells.
J. Schlichinmayer, Brown
operation.
J. Gamachi,
removed.
Milton Lis, Pacific Pine—Improving.
Alec Larose, Bowmans Mill—Leg in-
jury. Improving.

R. Wheeler, Fraser Mill

C. O'Hara, Fraser Mills — Crushed
‘hand. 4

Shanks, Prince George—Arthritis.

Henry ‘Champion, Alaska Pine—Ul-
cers.

E. Schmeh, McDonall Cedar—Stom-
ach trouble.

e—ye

Fraser Mills — Kidney

Local 1-80

Decision was made by the
Ladies Auxiliary of Local 1-80,
IWA, at their regular meeting
March 12th, to send one of their
members to report on the Auxi-
liaries at the Membership Meet-
ing of Local 1-80.

Camp 6

This Auxiliary Sub-Local now
has 18 members and hold their
meetings twice a month. Dona-
tions were made during the yegr
to the following organizations;
Blind—$10, Arthritis—S10, Red
Cross—$10, Solarium—$10, Win-
nipeg R.F.—$10.

Lake Cowichan

Business meetings are held on
the Ist Tuesday of every month
by the 16 members. Bingo is
played on the social evenings évery
third Tuesday. Two members visit
Duncan Hospital every month dis-

L.A.

Reports Growth

tributing presents to the patients.
Christmas presents were sent to
the 12 children from Lake Cowi-
chan confined in the Solarium.
Parksville

Meetings held 2nd Thursday of
each month. Their annual banquet
was held in January with their
husbands as guests. Christmas
and Valentine parcels were sent
to their adopted child from the
Solarium. The Sub-Local now has
ten members. :

Chemainus

Meetings are held once a month
by the eleven members at their
homes. Visits are made by the
Sunshine Committee to patients
in the hospital. Nine hundred bags
of candy were wrapped by the
members for the Children’s Christ-
mas Party. A large parcel of toys
was sent to their adopted child

in the Solarium ‘by the members.

LARGEST HOSPITALS —
Canada’s largest hospitals are the
5500-bed Hospital St. Jean-de-
Dien at Gamelin, Quebec, and the
4000-bed Hospital St. Michel-
Archange at Mastoi, Quebec. Both
are devoted to the care and treat-
ment of. mental patients.

ae oe

SMALLEST HOSPITALS —
There are several 1-bed hospitals
in Canada, including the Mrs. Amy
Nickerson Hospital at Doctor's
Cove, Nova Scotia, the Hospital
Mondon-Nadeau at Yamaska, Que-
bec, and the Gladmar Maternity
Hospital at Gladmar, Saskatche-
wan.

at 7 p.m.

Vandal
for the dinne:

1-357 L.A. DINNER
SET FOR MAY 10

Annual Dinner Meeting of the Ladies Au:
IWA., will be held in the Russell Hotel, New Westminster, May 10th,

iary of Local 1-357,

Members wishing to attend are asked to notify Sister Velma
at 6374-R as soon as possible as reservations are necessary

Nominations are now open for election of Auxiliary Officers which
will take place at the May Meeting.

Coal production slumped nearly

1953.

Police: 87% of the cases prose-

2,000,000 tons to 15,760,000 in| cuted in cities of 4,000 and over

are traflic offences,