Will a Canadian or two please explain this to me? Canadian Court Chips Away at National Health Care Toronto, June 9 The Canadian Supreme Court struck down a Quebec law banning private medical insurance today, dealing an acute blow to the publicly financed national health care system. The court stopped short of striking down the constitutionality of the country's vaunted nationwide coverage, but legal experts said the ruling would open the door to a wave of lawsuits challenging the health care system in other provinces. The system, providing Canadians with free doctor's services that are paid for by taxes, has generally been supported by the public, and is broadly identified with the Canadian national character. But in recent years, patients have been forced to wait longer for diagnostic tests and elective surgery, while the wealthy and well connected either seek care in the United States or use influence to jump ahead on waiting lists. The court ruled that the waiting lists had...
One thing I don't envy about your short walk to the lake is the cold, cold wind you're going to be getting off the water very soon. You'll want to make sure you have a very thick coat.
ReplyDeleteMMmmmmmmmmmmm....winter. I find it hard this time of year because it's too cold to do summer activities but to warm to do winter activites. In a month and a bit however, I'll be skiing up a storm.
ReplyDeleteI love crisp mornings. We had a heavy frost too. It went down to -5oC last night.
It's all down hill from here :-(
ReplyDeleteHave you discovered the toque yet? That got me when I first heard it...
ReplyDeleteI think she meant the kind of hat we wear in winter.
ReplyDeleteI think she meant the kind of hat we wear in winter.
ReplyDeleteBut she said "when I heard it". That's why I asked. I know it's a hat, but heard what?
Speaking of which, what do you call it in NYC?
Nothing in particular. A hat. A knit cap, maybe. Or a ski cap.
Allan, from Vermont, calls it a toque.
Funny thing, a toque pronounced "toke" is the big puffy white hat worn by pastry chefs, although mostly cartoon versions of chefs these days.
Isn't it pronounced "tuke" rhyming with nuke? Or is that just a Quebec thing?
ReplyDeleteYes, it's pronounced "tuke" like "nuke".
ReplyDeleteBut people sometimes spell it toque (like the chef's hat which isn't pronounced the same) or touque. The "proper" spelling is tuque.
Or where you referring to the chef's hat?
ReplyDeleteThat might be a Quebec thing....
Naw, I was definitely refering to the most elegant of winter accessories.
ReplyDeleteTime to start unpacking the winter stuff. At least I'm not in the Eastern Townships where they just got 25 cm of snow this week.
*shudder*
You both have me completely confused.
ReplyDeleteYou both have me completely confused.
ReplyDeleteMaybe one of your first culture-clashes.
When expat said "Have you discovered the toque yet?" that instantly registered in my mind as talking about the hat.
You knew that a tuque was a hat, but a lot of foreigners don't which is why she said "That got me when I first heard it".
It seemed simple to me, I couldn't figure out why you thought she was talking about anything else.
Then that started the discussion about the "toque" (chef's hat), which then confused jessica because Canadians always assume toque=touque=tuque=winter hat.
ReplyDeleteWhew, thanks for clearing that up, Kyle.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know the two kinds of hats were spelled differently.
What threw me was "when I first heard it". I thought, how can you hear a hat? :)
The "proper" spelling is tuque.
ReplyDeleteThat...can't be. Lies, I say! Lies!