SAVING THE PLANET BUT LOSING THE PATIENT

It looks like public hospitals in British Columbia, Canada, will have to cut patient services in order to comply with global warming laws established by the provincial government. According to the Surrey Leader:

• The Lower Mainland's health authorities will have to dig more than $4 million a year out of their already stretched budgets to pay B.C.'s carbon tax and offset their carbon footprints.
• Critics say the payments mean the government's strategy to fight climate change will further exacerbate a crisis in health funding.

"You have public hospitals cutting services to pay a tax that goes to another 100 per cent government- owned agency,"

For example:

• The Fraser Health Authority will pay $616,000 in carbon tax this year, rising to $821,000 next year, officials there said.
• And by 2010 Fraser will pay $1.3 million a year to the province's Pacific Carbon Trust to offset its projected 52,600 tons of carbon emissions released.
• Vancouver Coastal Health Authority also expects its costs will be close to $2 million next year in combined carbon tax and offset payments.

And while human life is threatened, of course, the stated objective of global warming kooks is once again undermined: Dix warned that some of the potential cuts -- such as closing the emergency room at Mission Memorial Hospital -- would actually increase carbon emissions by sending patients further afield...

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