Methinks CBC and the very snobby Neil MacDonald in particular just pissed off a lot of Canadians N'esy Pas?

https://twitter.com/DavidRayAmos/with_replies 



David Raymond Amos‏ @DavidRayAmos 

Replying to @DavidRayAmos @Kathryn98967631 and 49 others
Methinks CBC and the very snobby Neil MacDonald in particular just pissed off a lot of Canadians N'esy Pas?

http://davidraymondamos3.blogspot.com/2018/08/methinks-cbc-and-very-snobby-neil.html

#TrumpKnew #TrudeauMustGo  #nbpoli  #cdnpoli


http://www.cbc.ca/news/opinion/saudi-medical-residents-1.4784798

The Saudi temper tantrum could land one devastating blow — to Canadian health care: Neil Macdonald

Our system depends on some 800 Saudi medical residents

Neil Macdonald · CBC News · Posted: Aug 15, 2018 11:06 AM ET

2512 Comments 
Commenting is now closed for this story.

David Amos

Methinks I should thank CBC for assisting me in proving my point about Free Speech or rather the lack thereof again today N'esy Pas?

 
   


Dave Singh

this self-appointed despot is hurting the health of his own people with his bullying.

David Amos

@Dave Singh Methinks I have the right to point out the fact that bullying happens every day all day long in Canada as well N'esy Pas?

Sue McPherson

@Dave Singh
Sometimes it's hard to see where the bullying starts. Christina Freeland committed a grave error in judgement when she sent a tweet with hashtagSaudi Arabia from the official Foreign Affairs Can twitter account. She made it worse by making women's rights her priority in that Aug 3 tweet. She showed no comprehension of who she was dealing with - his country's attitudes towards women - and how best he might be approached. Freeland has done an immense amount of damage to Canada.

I wonder if it would it be possible for her to go over there and meet with the Crown Prince to discuss her concerns about women's rights?

David Amos

@Dave Singh Trust that if you could see the number of red bars I see below this comment you would agree in a heartbeat.

David Amos

@Sue McPherson I agree

David Amos

@Sue McPherson "I wonder if it would it be possible for her to go over there and meet with the Crown Prince to discuss her concerns about women's rights?"

Methinks you must be joking N'esy Pas?

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David Amos

Methinks many folks whose suffer with many "Content Disabled" notices must find it rather ironic that the liberals lament byway of Twitter about Free Speech etc being non existent in the Kingdom of Arabia while the very same wrongs are practiced within our Crown's website N'esy Pas?

  

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David Amos

Methinks it was a rather telling thing for Mr Macdonald and I that my Content was disabled after it was read N'esy Pas?

David Amos

Methinks I should make it clear that my heart goes out to the ladies of Arabia and all others whose human, civil and legal rights are violated on a daily basis worldwide. It is a monumental joke to me that Saudi Arabia sits on the Human Rights Council in the UN in light of the fact that the Canadian Lawyer who wrote its Charter came from Fundy Royal a riding I have run in for a seat in Parliament twice thus far N'esy Pas?

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David Amos

Methinks I should remind Mr Macdonald of a few things before this comment section closes I should ask does anyone recall this old file and why I was so upset by Canada's actions against me in 2003 N'esy Pas?

https://www.scribd.com/doc/2718120/integrity-yea-right

David Amos

@David Amos Oh My My

  

William Smith

Yes, its quite a situation Neil. The Saudi school curriculum teaches their children that all Christians must be killed (as well as those people of other religions that do not mesh with their particular brand of Islam). Once instilled and installed at a grade school age, this must create great conflicts for their medical students - who must swear to preserve life and do no harm. Canada identifies as +70% Christian. So, in what vacuum of caution and common sense are Canada's teaching hospitals relying on Saudi nationals to provide care for our citizens? Have they denounced both their religion and their benefactors? I don't think so.

David Amos

@William Smith Methinks most Canadians including me cannot even begin to fathom the reasoning of the followers of the Saudi King and his Princes N'esy Pas?

  

Jeannette Llody

Actually I think it is time for the UN, not just Canada, to get up on its hind legs and tell the Saudi's to shape up or shove off. But I won't hold my breath for that. The UN has about as much teeth as an earthworm.

David Amos

@Jeannette Llody Methinks the Saudi's byway of their money control the UN N'esy Pas?

  

Darren Transhy

More room for better, more deserving students.

David Amos

@Darren Transhy Exactly

  

George Bellerose

Right on Neil McDonald. With the Saudis touting Canada as a bad country, why with all that money and humanity in their hearts, Saudi Arabia is not taking in the Middle Eastern Arab, Muslim refugees who are fleeing to the western infidel countries ?? Perhaps we have been neglectful in redirecting them to their Saudi brothers who have been touting the greatness of their country. Now, with all those medical students returning to Saudia Arabia would certainly aid those refugees with free medical care. Why are refugees avoiding such a very wealthy Muslim Arab country that claims to care about its Muslim brothers. ???

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David Amos 

@George Bellerose "Why are refugees avoiding such a very wealthy Muslim Arab country that claims to care about its Muslim brothers. ???"

Jeremy Ashton

When the world finally realizes that tw atter is utter garbage and no one should even care or pay attention to it, we will all start getting along better. Too many people sharing too many negative opinions. too few people sharing too few positive ones. There is an imbalance in the force. the dark side is gaining too much power.

Jeannette Llody

@Jeremy Ashton Twitter twatter is fine and fair game for individuals who wish to engage in social media. But it is not an appropriate forum for members of government to proclaim policy or engage in diplomatic discourse. Elected officials should be barred from Twitter.

David Amos

@Jeannette Llody Methinks you have a tough row to *** making Mr Trump obey such a rule N'esy Pas?

Russ Rogers

Always a pleasure to read your op-ed, Mr. Macdonald --- my selfish side looks for its continuance, long into your retirement.

Ahh, but that selfless side ---

All joking aside, to your health & thank you sir.

David Amos

@Russ Rogers Methinks you should be far more concerned about the things that Mr Macdonald does not tell you about N'esy Pas?

 
Sam Brokit

We have thousands of new crossers monthly. Perhaps they could fill the spots?

David Amos

@Sam Brokit Methinks many a true word is said in jest N'esy Pas?

  
Peter Ray

Pretty sad when OUR health care system is reliant on foreign nationals!

David Amos

@Peter Ray YUP

James Watson

This is a good start to the medical system in Canada to start training and employing CANADIAN doctors and the sentiment can spread to Canadian universities being for CANADIANS!

David Amos

@James Watson Methinks that I do need I say that I wholeheartedly agree but I just did N'esy Pas?

 
Jennifer McIsaac

I thought we had Canadian medical students who could not find placements as residents? Maybe this is a chance to give Canadian medical students a chance to start their careers.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/medical-graduates-residency-shortage-1.4536706

Felicia Kinzburg

@Jennifer McIsaac There are also numerous LEGAL immigrants (permanent residents) in Canada, who passed all required medical exams, but are not able to find a resident position for years.

David Amos

@Jennifer McIsaac "Maybe this is a chance to give Canadian medical students a chance to start their careers."

Methinks there are no maybes about it. I believe this is golden opportunity to get our hospitals properly staffed before Baby Boomers such as I need even more of their services. To Hell with the Saudi's and their money. The liberals should make every effort to give Canadian medical students and other foreigners a chance to start their careers in Canada ASAP N'esy Pas?

David Amos

@Felicia Kinzburg "There are also numerous LEGAL immigrants (permanent residents) in Canada, who passed all required medical exams, but are not able to find a resident position for years."

Exactly and why are they not working for us? Methinks its because of Saudi money N'esy Pas?

Jamie Thak

@David Amos well as long as you're willing to pay and have your taxes raised then yes! kick the saudi's out.

David Amos

@Jamie Thak Methinks I paid my two bits to see a High Diving Act so I have the right to see a High Diving Act N'esy Pas?

Ivan Nano

@Jennifer McIsaac

Not to mention the thousands of Canadians who studied abroad and find it practically impossible to get a residency slot to move back.

Deanna Troi

@Jennifer McIsaac Fully agreed. I just mentioned this.

David Amos

@Ivan Nano Methinks its kinda strange that we hire foreign nationals to work in our hospitals while refusing Canadians who were forced to find an education elsewhere N'esy Pas?

Trust that I have quite a political story to tell in that regard but I doubt CBC will allow it to be posted.

Jennifer McIsaac

@Jamie Thak
Remember doctors are well paid and pay lots of taxes. We are short of doctors and need to train more. Saudis leave the country so pay no taxes and fill no vacant spots in our health care system.

David Amos

@Jennifer McIsaac Trust that I have not forgot

Ziad Abi Saab

@David Amos Try, maybe it gets through.

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David Amos

@Ziad Abi Saab "Try, maybe it gets through".

Methinks at your suggestion I will make minor stab at it After all nothing ventured nothing gained N'esy Pas?

In a nutshell in 2008 I gave many Doctors quite a headache through no fault of my own. The RCMP had falsely arrested me without a warrant or any stated cause whatsoever for politcal reasons not long after the FBI arrested Eliot Spitzer in Washington. Once the cops had kept me locked too long without allowing me to encounter a judge they took me to the hospital in Fredericton NB in order to convince some shrinks that they should take charge of me and lock me up as a nut. When the Docors saw no reason to do so the RCMP filled out a form about my doings with Stockwell Day, Peter Mackay and the mob etc. The Doctor then signed the form and ordered five men to tackle me and hold me down while nurse Rachet filled me full of drugs. The next day I easily proved to the Shrink I was no liar but that the RCMP had played him like a fiddle. He appeared to have an anxiety attack right in front of me within his own looney bin. Too funny indeed. However that did not stop him from ordering me injected with more drugs. That nasty Shrink was from Mexico.

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David Amos

@David Amos The next day I met a new Shrink form the Ukraine. He informed me he was my Doctor now and that I was definitely not crazy but certainly think outside of the box. I asked him if he would put that in writing and he said no way and let me go. I still have the statement that the RCMP created that the first Shrink signed. Apparently Horizon Health nor any of its Doctors were allowed to bill for their time with me not only because they do not want a paper trail that supports their wrongs but because I do not have a Heath Care Card or a SIN or even a Drivers Licence thanks to our far from honourable Prime Ministers and their many cohorts. Years later I called the Shrink from the Ukraine. He claimed he never met me and to never call him again. I warned him there may come a summons to court some day because murder is a capital crime and there is no statute of limitions on the cover up of that crime. Hence I have all the time in the world N'esy Pas?

David Amos

@Ziad Abi Saab "Try, maybe it gets through."

I tried

David Amos

@Jennifer McIsaac "What a waste of potential for the students and the cost of their education."

Methinks that is well worth repeating N'esy Pas?

 
Ian MacDonald

Just more spots for other students.
Lots of countries in the world.
Lots of Canadians wanting to be doctors.
Sure there will be pain, but in the end it will be a growing pain.

David Amos

@Ian MacDonald "Sure there will be pain, but in the end it will be a growing pain."

Methinks I should be grateful that there is at least one MacDonald that makes sense to me today N'esy Pas?

Ian MacDonald

@Jack O Hill
At some point the money doesn't matter. There are other foreign students who would like to get medical training in a western nation.
Perhaps China, perhaps students from the USA, perhaps it will all be Canadian students who won't have to compete with foreign students.
The sky is not falling.

David Amos

@Ian MacDonald "The sky is not falling."

Methinks in the end a wacko Saudi Prince pitching a fit may be considered the cause of manna to fall from heaven for many Canadian med students seeking residency status N'esy Pas?

David Amos

@Rick Connoly Methinks all you have to do is Google my name and you can source a lot of irrefutable facts N'esy Pas?

 
Lieschen Mueller

The Saudi medical residents can easily be replaced. And if any especially female Saudi medical residents want to stay on, we should let them because it would further infuriate the Saudis with their silly theocracy.

David Amos

@Lieschen Mueller Methinks you make a lot more sense than the Yankee lawyer Robert Mueller ever did I would wager that many Canadians would agree that you are credit to your last name N'esy Pas?

Winston Smith

@David Amos
You sound quite mad, sir.

David Amos

@Winston Smith "You sound quite mad, sir."

Go Figure

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cFOKT6TlSE

Lieschen Mueller

@David Amos

If you are going to use a French expression, at least make sure you spell it correctly.

David Amos

@Lieschen Mueller I did

David Amos

@Lieschen Mueller Check page 2 to see that I was not joking about your name

https://www.scribd.com/document/2619437/CROSS-BORDER

Methinks Robert Mueller laughed as no Canadian politicians spoke up in my defense while I was falsely imprisoned in the USA after I ran for a seat in the 38th Parliament .It should be obvious to you now as to why I don't care if you don't like my Chiac N'esy Pas?

  
Alex Shetsen

Kick the Saudis out. Train Canadians.

David Amos

@Alex Shetsen I agree

Erika Blair

@Alex Shetsen
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_Saudi_Arabia

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David Amos

@Erika Blair Methinks you are being a little redundant N'esy Pas?

David Amos

@Erika Blair Methinks its rather interesting that my reply was just blocked N'esy Pas?

 
Suki McNally

Thank you for this, it is very illuminating. As a Canadian who has had no family doctor for 6 years I am appalled that Canadian trained doctors are not being given the chance to fill these gaps. If every residency was tied to a position in an under-serviced area the shortages would be fixed in ten years.
It seems so simple, I wonder why it hasn't been implemented.

David Amos

@Suki McNally "As a Canadian who has had no family doctor for 6 years I am appalled that Canadian trained doctors are not being given the chance to fill these gaps."

Methinks as a Canadian who has been refused a Health Care card for many years I should be even more upset that you N'esy Pas?

David Amos

@Jamie Thak Methinks you seem quite fond of Saudi Wannabe Doctors perhaps you are one of them N'esy Pas?

David Amos

@Jim Palmer "Follow the money; because Canadian Universities love that 'foreign student Saudi cash"

YUP

David Amos

@Jamie Thak "saudi's don't hold family doctor residencies. look it up. so complain all you want, but it still doesn't solve your problem"

Methinks complaining to Parliamentarians is only way to solve such a problem N'esy Pas?

 
Greg Williams

Here's a novel idea! Why not accept more Canadians into Medical Schools!

Jonathan Lemon

@Greg Williams

If you want to provide good education to the Medical students, with hands on training, you can't just ram through a bunch of more students. You'd have to to increase the capacity of the universities. This means also increasing space, teaching faculty, and support staff

David Amos

@Jonathan Lemon "You'd have to to increase the capacity of the universities"

Methinks there will e more roon with the Saudis gone N'esy Pas?

David Amos

@Chris Healy Methinks you didn't fool anyone with that statement N'esy Pas?

Bob DeJohn

@Greg Williams Sure, but the government has to pony up for it. These Saudis were funded by Saudia Arabia and were NOT staying here for jobs after. They were extras and brought in hundreds of millions of dollars into the system. I doubt the federal government is going to replace that funding!

David Amos

@Bob DeJohn "I doubt the federal government is going to replace that funding!"

Me Too

  
Jack Jones

This just makes me mad

My kid could not get into Med school here and is being trained in Europe

Now I know why

 

Matthew Matt

@Jack Jones

there's more to it than just being a canadian

maybe your kid didn't meet the admission requirements?

Will Douglas

@Matthew Matt

To start with, provincial governments could offer residency positions to the record 115 medical school grads who were denied spots this year. That's right, 115 qualified graduates from Canadian medical schools were stalled on their road to doctorhood, basically because the government could depend on the Saudis.
============================

Missed this part did you?

Matthew Matt

@Will Douglas

no i read it willie.

but thanks for being redundant

Jonathan Lemon

@Jack Jones

You misunderstand the issue. The Saudis are here training as residents - they have already earned the medical degree. Residents are not taking spots from potential medical students. If your kid did not get into med school here, it was that his/her application or interview was strong enough. Many students going to Med school now have a graduate degree (either a Master's or PhD), so it is definitely a very competitive process to get accepted to Canadian medical schools.

Jonathan Lemon

@Jonathan Lemon

whoops....." it was that his/her application or interview was NOT strong enough..."

Jack Jones

@Matthew Matt
Full scholarship
4.0 average
Aced the MCAT

She made it into a prestigious medical school in Europe and is now on full scholarship over there! Starting 3rd year.

I am angry as a Canadian that we have LOST this valuable asset to our country.

PS
When she finishes Med School she would have practiced IN CANADA!

Jonathan Lemon

@Jack Jones

Sounds like she didn't pass the interview stage? There is a lot more than grades and MCAT that is evaluated during the interviews.

Jack Jones

@Jonathan Lemon
See my reply

Jonathan Lemon

@Jack Jones

Also, many students applying to medical school have the same fantastic grades and MCAT scores as your daughter.

Jack Jones

@Jonathan Lemon
She is top of her class and on full scholarship in Europe
Was recently published in CMAJ for her research as an undergrad!

She would serve us well as a physician in Canada
Mostly because she IS a Canadian who would have practiced in Canada

Hassan Mahmmood

@Jack Jones really our med system relies on Saudis? Either our led system is insanely corrupt or grossly mismanaged . I lean towards the corruption part. I find it hard to believe we have a shortage when last year a Canadian med committed suicide because he was rejected for the last three years. Sad

Jamie Thak

@Jack Jones you're missing the point. these are grads from med school getting residency spots. your kid didn't get into medical school for other reasons, not because the Saudi's got in. They aren't in medical school.

Jamie Thak

@Jack Jones again has nothing to do with the Saudis. but i agree with your point

Karen King

@Jack Jones

It's hard to get into med school, you have to be the best, she may be good but clearly not good enough.

Meanwhile there are seats set aside for foreign students, foreign meaning anyone that is not a Canadian, these seats will be filled and maybe just maybe they will then stay in Canada where as the Saudies will not and probably cannot.

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David Amos

@Jack Jones "This just makes me mad"

Methinks any Canadian with two clues between their ears should be mad too N'esy Pas?

Jack Jones

@Karen King
No
Sorry
She is good enough

I know of other students who got in because their dad is a doctor

David Amos

@Jonathan Lemon "it was that his/her application or interview was NOT strong enough..."

Methinks that Mr Jones was far more polite to you than many other Proud Canadian Fathers would be N'esy Pas?

David Amos

@Jim Palmer Methinks this article proves the problem goes far deeper than that N'esy Pas?

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David Amos

@Jack Jones "This just makes me mad"

Methinks any Canadian with two clues between their ears would be as mad as I if they discovered that CBC had disabled their first comment supporting you after it had stood all day N'esy Pas?

David Amos

@Lieschen Mueller "Sigh, and even if she decides post finishing her degree that she wants to practice in Canada, all kinds of silly obstacles will likely be placed in her way."

Methinks everybody understands that is why her Father and many others are mad N'esy Pas?

  

Peter Frinton

The handy financial benefits of hosting Saudi medical residents aside, they can be replaced.

Each year, Canadian medical graduates have to compete to get residency positions. Countless foreign nationals apply as well, and are largely turned down for lack of slots.
So very quickly, recent graduates and experienced physicians from the Caribbean, Ukraine and Croatia, India, South Africa and myriad other countries will fill the gap. What won't be likely filled is the $135 million support gap. That's $4/ Canadian- I think we can afford that.

Dwight Williams

@Peter Frinton

Anybody from any sane regime is better.

David Amos

@Dwight Williams I concur

 

Cindy Fordyce

International student doctors should be extras in the system - they should not be used as part of the system. Canada is short of doctors and yet our own medical students can't get residencies. Cdn students should be all available spots and international students should be a plus to all teaching hospitals/facilities.

Kerry Thurston

@Stan Roberts
You get it.....many don't.
Canadian patients will ultimately pay the price.

David Amos

@Kerry Thurston Perhaps you don't get it. Methinks we are already paying bigtime N'esy Pas?

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David Amos

@Jamie Thak Methinks you should study my comments that CBC did not block N'esy Pas?

David Amos

@Jamie Thak "ummm you should read the article."

Methinks its too bad you cannot read all my replies to you N'esy Pas?

David Amos

@Tony MacLellan "They take resident spots from Canadians."

Methinks that is not rocket science to understand however liberal spin doctors wish to ignore the obvious N'esy Pas?

 
Danny Tanker

The Saudi temper tantrum could land one devastating blow — to Canadian health care:"

No matter, we stand out ground and don't bow to this 1st century regime.

David Amos

@Danny Tanker Exactly

David Amos

@Chris Healy "Failed PMs don’t get re-elected, failed authoritarian rulers go out like Gaddafi. I think his highness will blink first."

Methinks Trudeau The Younger must be paying you overtime N'esy Pas?

Chris Healy

@David Amos yes by and me thinks some have no worries for getting overtime as me thinks some don’t even have a job

David Amos

@Chris Healy Methinks your puppet masters know I am retired Hence I have all day to play politics while arguing your hero Trudeau The Younger and his many minions in Federal Court N'esy Pas?

The Saudi temper tantrum could land one devastating blow — to Canadian health care: Neil Macdonald

Our system depends on some 800 Saudi medical residents

Neil Macdonald · CBC News · Posted: Aug 15, 2018 11:06 AM ET

This year, there are 800 Saudis in addition to the 3308 Canadian-government-funded positions, meaning the Saudis comprise about 20 per cent of the 4108 residents in Canadian hospitals. (Radio-Canada/Martin Thibault)


Here's a proposed Canadian reply to the escalating Saudi temper tantrum. Call in the kingdom's ambassador and tell him: Sorry, Mr. Ambassador, but Canadian universities will never again accept Saudi medical residents.

The government could explain that cancelling orders for relatively piddling amounts of wheat and maple syrup is the kingdom's perfect right, subject of course to any contractual penalties. And frankly, we can do without the piddling amount of Saudi oil we import. It's not like we don't have any of our own. The world's not going to come to an end.

But, very sorry, Canada regards the health care of its citizens as a most serious obligation.

We know he's your boss, Mr. Ambassador, and that you're probably terrified of him, but we simply cannot allow a Middle Eastern despot-in-waiting to ever again put public health in jeopardy by yanking 800 Saudi doctors-in-training from Canadian teaching hospitals because he's sulking over a mildly critical Canadian tweet.

Mohammed bin Salman could put public health in jeopardy by yanking 800 Saudi doctors-in-training from Canadian teaching hospitals. (Charles Platiau/Reuters)

So, tell your crown prince that we know he'll keep on torturing critics in public for the grave crime of expressing their opinions, and chopping off people's heads and other body parts (and even crucifying the corpses) for, among other things, witchcraft, and that Saudi employers will continue using foreign workers like slaves, and that Saudi men will keep treating their wives and female relatives as property, and there's really nothing Canada can do about it but express our concern, which, by the way, we will continue to do.

Ultimately, Prince Mohammed bin Salman has the sovereign right to behave like Torquemada in a jalabiya if he chooses.

But we can't play games with Canadians' health, Mr. Ambassador, so your government will have to find another country to use as a training facility for your medical school grads. Shukran, wa maasalaame, princeling.

Wouldn't that be a satisfying message to deliver? It would go over pretty well with the Canadian public, too, I'll wager.

Dependence on Saudi residents

The trouble is, we just can't afford to get up on our hind legs like that. Unfortunately, we need those Saudi medical residents. Unfortunately, we are needy.

Here are the facts, in their shabby splendor:

In Canada, the provincial governments tightly control the number of medical residents – medical school grads who spend three to five years working in Canadian hospitals, qualifying as doctors.

Residents are paid relatively poorly, earning something in the area of $65,000 a year, but their services are a vital part of the health care system.

In 2018, the provinces funded 3,308 residency positions. Those residents eventually become fully practising doctors, and governments, which strive to contain medical budgets in our publicly insured system, are always anxious to limit the number of doctors who will eventually be billing the system. Money ultimately trumps public need.

Which brings us to the Saudis.

Saudi medical school graduates arrive with lots of money, and are warmly welcomed. Not only does the Saudi government cover their salaries, it pays Canadian governments for the privilege of training in our hospitals and caring for Canadian patients.

According to Prof. Joe Schwarcz, who specializes in science and public policy at McGill University, the Saudis hand over roughly $100,000 per resident per year. This year, there are 800 Saudis in addition to the 3,308 Canadian-government-funded positions, meaning the Saudis comprise about 20 per cent of the 4,108 residents in Canadian hospitals. Taking into consideration the salaries hospitals don't have to pay them and the money their government pays for their training, those Saudi residents effectively bring $165,000 apiece per year with them, for a total this year of about $132 million.

The National

Canada's medical system impacted by Saudi recall of students

00:00 02:15

 Roughly 1,000 medical residents and fellows are being taken from the health-care system, putting a strain on it in the short term. 2:15

And in September, Saudi Arabia's crown prince intends to yank them all, and all his money, unless he receives an abject apology from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for the federal government's criticism of Saudi human rights abuses.

In theory – in theory — the disappearance of the Saudi residents won't matter. Schwarcz says the provinces take the position that the 3,308 resident slots it funds are sufficient to meet the system's needs, and that the 800 Saudi residents are all extraneous. In other words, it's nice to have them, but we don't really need them.

But, says Prof. Schwarcz, that's just another of the fictions that go into the illusion that our medical system is providing all Canadians with excellent and timely health care.

"They are said to be extras, but they are not extras. The fact is that the Canadian residency slots by themselves are not enough to service the hospitals properly. Governments have come to depend on the Saudi residents. They are 20 per cent of the working hands of the resident work force, and when we lose them in September, of course patients will feel the loss. Of course there will be consequences."

• Saudi Arabia pulls its medical patients from Canadian hospitals
• Saudi Arabia to sell off Canadian assets and stop buying Canadian wheat and barley

To compensate, Schwarcz says, Canada will need to expand the number of Canadian-funded residencies by at least 800 positions.

But, because Canadian medical residents go on to become full-fledged Canadian doctors (unlike the Saudis, who go back home when their residencies are complete), that would necessarily mean creating more permanent positions for specialists and family doctors in Canada, which carries obvious costs for the provinces. Schwarcz says creating more positions is not just necessary, but urgent.

"Our system is short staffed. It's obvious to anyone who looks at the waiting lists and the beds in hospital corridors. How ridiculous is it that some Canadians cannot find family doctors? The basic problem is that there aren't enough doctors in Canada, period."

To start with, provincial governments could offer residency positions to the record 115 medical school grads who were denied spots this year. That's right, 115 qualified graduates from Canadian medical schools were stalled on their road to doctorhood, basically because the government could depend on the Saudis. Then the government could add another 700 positions.

But that would mean finding $132 million somewhere. Far more likely, the federal government will negotiate some sort of face-saving arrangement to soothe the thin-skinned prince.

Because we need to. We need those Saudi residents, just as we  need all those General Dynamics factory jobs in London, Ont., where Canadian workers proudly build the billions worth of war machines and weapons platforms – or, as Trudeau likes to call them, "Jeeps" —  that help enable Prince Mohammed Bin Salman's campaigns to crush dissent and Shia Muslim nationalism on the Arabian peninsula, particularly Yemen, where the Saudis have escalated a ruinous, bloody civil war.
Bin Salman's army sometimes doesn't do the best job – it managed to slaughter at least 29 schoolchildren in Yemen last week – but you won't hear much about that from Trudeau's ministers.
Discretion, as the Liberals are learning, is profitable. Criticism, however principled, costs money.

This column is part of CBC's Opinion section. For more information about this section, please read this editor's blog and our FAQ.

About the Author

Neil Macdonald

Opinion Columnist

Neil Macdonald is an opinion columnist for CBC News, based in Ottawa. Prior to that he was the CBC's Washington correspondent for 12 years, and before that he spent five years reporting from the Middle East. He also had a previous career in newspapers, and speaks English and French fluently, and some Arabic.