Canadians are fortunate to live in a country possessing not only a thoroughly modern health care system, utilizing the best of 21st century technology, but also with legislated universal access to it. But, there’s more to good medicine than universality, or the newest next thing, and as my first guest warns: when it comes to the ultimate primary care – how Canadians come into the World – the very progress we herald in Western medicine is making birth in this country less a natural process to be celebrated than “technological experience” to be endured.
Dr. Michael C. Klein‘s long, illustrious, and varied career in medicine both inside Canada and without includes serving as clinician, administrator, researcher, and educator.
The Professor Emeritus of family practice at the University of British Columbia has practiced too in the United States, and cut his teeth in maternal medicine in exotic locales under surprising circumstances. It would take a book to do the scope of his career justice; so it’s fortunate Michael Klein is also an author. His first book, ‘Dissident Doctor: Catching Babies and Challenging the Medical Status Quo‘ tells his story, and much more besides.
Dr. Michael C. Klein in the first half.
And; last year, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives‘ BC Office reported a subsidiary of Malaysian energy giant Petronas side-stepped the law, constructing at least 16 dams to support its fracking operations without approval of the province’s Environmental Assessment Office. Now, that report’s author has discovered, rather than suffering fine or censure for its breach of the law, Progress Energy asked for, and has had granted, retroactive exemptions from environmental review for two of the dams the EAO described as “illegal works”.
Ben Parfitt is a journalist, author, and CCPA researcher specializing in energy, water, forest resources, and climate change. His just out article, ‘Dangerous Precedent: Petronas subsidiary gets free pass after building unlicensed fracking dams‘ should, more than merely outrage, serve as clarion call to all who care about the future of the province.
Ben Parfitt and a free pass for Petronas frackers in the second half.
And; Victoria-based activist and CFUV Radio broadcaster at-large, Janine Bandcroft will be here at the bottom of the hour with the Left Coast Events Bulletin of some of the good things to be gotten up to in and around our town in the coming week. But first, dissident Dr. Michae
l C. Klein, catching babies and challenging the medical status quo.
Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing live every Thursday between 11-Noon Pacific Time. In Victoria at 101.9FM, and on the internet at: http://cfuv.uvic.ca. He also serves as a contributing editor to the web news site, http://www.pacificfreepress.com. Check out the GR blog at: http://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.ca/