Choosing a Healthy Investment

In many ways, political parties are like religion. Everyone wants a better, more prosperous, and equitable New Brunswick and Canada; however, we can’t always agree on how to achieve it.

Each party, whether Green, Liberal, Conservative, or others have ideas on how to best spend or invest "your money" in healthcare. Yes, make no mistake, it’s your money. There’s no such thing as “government money.” What governments have spent and are spending is your or taxpayer money, and in the case of deficit spending”, borrowed funds that add to provincial and or national debt.

It’s crucial to remind ourselves of this reality, as the phrase “government spending” often creates the illusion that the costs don’t affect the public. Take healthcare, for example. How often have we heard people say, “I’ll go to the ER, it’s free”? It isn’t free. In fact, New Brunswick’s healthcare budget for 2024 is projected to be $3.8 billion, up from $3.6 billion, which equates to about $4,500 per person. That’s real money. The Liberal's Susan Holt and the Greens David Coon would have you believe $3.8 billion dolars is not enough.

Twenty years ago, Health Minister Dr. Dennis Furlong estimated that 15% of ER visits were frivolous or unnecessary. It makes you wonder. Has that percentage changed in 2024?

Information from the New Brunswick Health Council shows the average annual cost of healthcare for individuals with three or more chronic conditions is $5,232—four times more than for those without chronic conditions, who average $1,266. Meanwhile, New Brunswick has the highest rate of adult obesity in Canada at 43%. This is a concerning statistic, as obesity is linked to numerous chronic conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. The Mayo Clinic emphasizes that obesity is a serious medical issue, not just a cosmetic one, and it places a considerable financial burden on healthcare systems.

Given these numbers, the question arises: how many New Brunswickers currently or are likely to suffer from chronic conditions due to obesity, and how much does this contribute to the province’s healthcare costs? If 43% of adults are obese, a significant portion of these individuals likely fall into the higher-cost category. This suggests that New Brunswick’s healthcare challenges aren’t solely about funding, they’re also about the lifestyle choices we make.

This isn’t an easy issue to confront, but it’s one that must be addressed. All political parties, no doubt, have ideas for improving healthcare, but we must be wary of promises that are more about winning votes than about meaningful reform.

A friend of mine recently recalled a decision she made years ago that drastically improved her life. She described herself as being “happier than a clam at high water.” I asked if she knew what the phrase meant, and when she said no, I explained: clams, safe under the water during high tide, are protected from being dug up. Much like the clams, voters need to feel safe—but more importantly, we need to understand where, how, and why "our money" is being spent on healthcare in order to make informed choices in this election.

As we evaluate the promises of all political parties, we should ask ourselves: Are these pledges a genuine efforts to improve healthcare, or are they simply tactics to gain power? It’s time to take hollow promises and partisanship out of governing. Something worth thinking about.

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