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January 30, 2004

With an average weekly income of $5,769, the second highest average in the country next to Alberta, the salaries of BC doctors are extremely competitive relative to other provinces.  The BCMA's latest demands for an 11% wage increase follow an agreement signed with the BC government in November 2002, which saw doctors receive a 21% increase that cost the taxpayers of the province $392 million.

"If the government is going to seek a confrontation with doctors then there will be consequences."

"The budget is a piece of paper that the government can do various things with."

"This is a global market for doctors.  Doctors are a scarce commodity.... Doctors have no trouble finding jobs anywhere in the world and you have to play in that ballpark."

The sentiments behind these public comments from Dr. Turner clearly demonstrate that the BCMA has not concerned itself with improving upon the struggling health care system, but rather with the growth of compensation for their membership.

Holding the province hostage so that BC MDs can become the highest paid practitioners in Canada is brazen and disgraceful.  If Mr. Turner and his cohorts are in the medical profession simply as a means to becoming financially successful, then maybe the United States or Saudi Arabia would be more suitable places to ply their trade.

In Canada, people come before profit.

Comments? jonathan@tdhstrategies.com