We need more doctors, so why kick one out?
Re: “English test mix-up could leave Sidney patients with no doctor,” Nov. 2.
Sometimes I have to read articles two or three times as the first reading leaves me incredulous — but none so more than a supposed “mix-up” over an English test that may send a qualified family physician packing and on his way out of Canada.
The depth of bureaucratic stupidity knows no limits. Why would a well-educated English physician be required to take an English test to qualify for permanent resident status as no doubt his first language is English and he was educated to a very advanced level in the language?
There is no reference to him having failed the academic test which by its nature would suggest is likely at a far higher standard than a general test which is almost certainly at a lower standard and less technical than the former.
My wife and I are amongst the million plus British Columbians who have no family doctor and very little prospect of every having one again. Indeed, we are former patients of the same clinic at which Dr. Daniel Leach is trying to practise but were left high and dry some years ago when our GP opted to practise in another field of medicine.
I have to conclude that if a qualified family physician is sent packing and more than a thousand British Columbians also find themselves without a family doctor, then we have far too many bureaucrats with too much power and far too little to do. I draw a blank when it comes to another instance of more blatant government idiocy.
It had been suggested more than once on these pages that we are governed by village idiots and if anyone needs more proof of that, then I suggest they read the article again.
James P. Crowley
North Saanich
Apologies are needed for the Sidney doctor
Re: “English test mix-up could leave Sidney patients with no doctor,” Nov. 2.
What an absurd situation and one that will impact many patients, including myself.
At a time when the medical system is reeling through lack of professional staff, this is unbelievable, as this doctor has put down roots in our community showing he plans to stay and he is also young, at a time when so many health-care professionals are retiring. I look forward to reading abject apologies to Dr. Daniel Leach from all involved in this ludicrous decision, along with a commitment to fix this “administrative error.”
Susan Isomaa
Sidney
Governments, please put patients first
Re: “English test mix-up could leave Sidney patients with no doctor,” Nov. 2.
Here is a classic example of disjointed national standards on immigration. A physician coming from the U.K. requires an English test? Wow.
English is probably their mother tongue!
We understand the language proficiency test is important to level the playing field, but the administration can be more thoughtful about looking at the credentials and qualifications of the immigrants individually and the need to bring qualified, ready-to-work people.
B.C. desperately needs family physicians. I think the province and Health Minister Adrian Dix need to step up and actually process immigration requests in-house within B.C. for professions that need urgent attention. Once all the work is done here, the federal departments can be informed and they can endorse the provincial decision to stay in the loop.
For much-needed specialized workers, this type of obstacle discourages potential professionals to work in our province or in Canada.
Good for Dix to raise this issue with the federal government. The provincial and federal governments need to work collaboratively to resolve these issues.
In the end it is the patients who suffer. Their needs should be prioritized. The public needs come first.
Mano Sandhu
Victoria
Oh, the absurdity of our language test
Dr. Daniel Leach is too English for Canada, British Columbia and Greater Victoria. I’m laughing and crying at the same time at the absurdity.
Aaron Malmgren
Colwood
Proven practitioner, so let him stay
Re: “English test mix-up could leave Sidney patients with no doctor,” Nov. 2.
Dr. Daniel Leach is my wife’s doctor, and he has been my doctor for more than a year. I can state, absolutely, that he speaks excellent English. And that he is also an excellent doctor!
Leach already meets or surpasses the standards to practise medicine in British Columbia, including as a general practitioner dealing with many patients.
But now the system says that that is not sufficient for him to stay in Canada — because he is deficient in language! Without appeal!
There cannot have been any face-to-face meeting of Leach and an immigration official. A two-minute phone call to Leach’s clinic would have shown that he can converse in both medical and general terms, well enough to satisfy the most demanding linguist.
As is well known, B.C. is desperately short of family doctors. This sort of bureaucratic pedantry will not be the way to encourage new immigrants.
With Leach, we have a proven practitioner who wants to live here permanently. We hope that he and his family are approved quickly.
Alistair Beck
Sidney
A time to honour all those who served
How do we respond to the challenge in John McCrae’s final verse? He gives voice to all who perished saying, “To you we throw the torch — be yours to hold it high. If you break faith with us who die, we shall not sleep … though poppies grow in Flanders field.”
Each of us can defend Canada and our rights and freedoms every day by attending to our duties as citizens.
Canada only asks that we take responsibility for ourself, obey the law, vote in elections, accept jury duty when summoned, take leadership roles to make your neighbourhood and all of Canada better, and protect the environment.
By taking an interest in what the men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces, police and our diplomats are doing around the world we contribute to the defence of Canada and our rights and freedoms by being informed citizens.
As Canadians we are free to live anywhere, to speak without fear, free to worship as we please, free to stand up for what is right and peacefully oppose what is wrong; free to love whom we choose and free to choose who will govern us.
Not many countries can make such a claim. Thousands line up at our embassies around the world to share in our democracy.
Remembrance Day is a moment to thank, honour and celebrate all those who have served Canada in uniform. It falls to all of and future generations, to carry the torch of remembrance.
Gerald W. Pash
Victoria
Properly managed, long‑term rentals work
I have been reading the letters to the editor that try to justify the existence of short-term rentals.
One of the common themes presented is the difficultly with long-term rentals, all the problems with terrible tenants. This is all nonsense, I have been in the long-term rental business for more than 40 years and have rented to several thousand tenants.
Managed properly, there have never been any issues in my experience, as described by short-term landlords. Be assured that the Residential Tenancy Act is not broken as suggested.
While short rentals have taken long-term rental stock out of the market, it has also caused another serious problem. Because of the potential income created by short-term rentals, house prices have doubled in value, in many areas, especially in communities that attract tourists.
I applaud the government, bold enough to finally address the short-term rental disaster.
Tim Hackett
Brentwood Bay
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