Naming the Trains

Looking ahead, we would probably need four trains initially. I think it would be fun to name the Alberta Bullet Trains, so here are some names that might be appropriate:

• Prairie Schooner,
• Wild Rose Express,
• Blue Sky Bullet,
• Sod Buster,
• Western Express,
• Alberta Arrow,
• Pronghorn Express, and
• Alberta Advantage.

Looking at the oil industry for names might give us Roughneck Express or if some day the line were to be expanded to Fort MacMurray we might want to add the 'Fort Mac Express' and 'Newfie Bullet'.

Ron Craik                 Nov. 15, 2007

Super Hospital for Red Deer

E-mail Excerpt

My neighbors and I were discussing how to keep the feds from making a grab for Alberta's surplus. We suggest that Alberta build a super diagnostic hospital in Red Deer and announce it as a gift by the people of Alberta to the people of Western Canada. Red Deer would be the obvious choice since it is mid way between Calgary and Edmonton and the Alberta Bullet Train is already planned.

The idea is to not only to purchase the highest of high tech hospital gear, but to attract excellent Canadian doctors back to Canada to work in such a hospital in Red Deer, which is a pretty attractive place to live. The ongoing cost of maintaining such a hospital in leaner times would be assisted by the nearby provinces sending their patients in and paying a reasonable (mustn't gouge Saskatchewan or Manitoba) fee for the service. It likely takes the population of Western Canada to justify and support such a diagnostic centre. It would also be a public relations coup.

Since this multi-province hospital would serve four provinces, the feds might even be maneuvered into contributing actual extra $$$, if not now, then later when the winds of fortune shift back to Ontario, B.C. or wherever.

Of course, we, in our neighborhood DO favor provincial and federal spending on the public health system. We do not believe that basic services are covered by the limited scope of AHIP coverage. We would like the public health system to cover things like bandages, wheelchairs, stripping veins for medical reasons, dental surgery, etc., etc.,etc. which have been shaved off over the last decade or so.

The best way to cut the cost of health care is to make much greater use of public health nurses and fully funded home care. Just sending people home from the hospital prematurely without enough advanced nursing care in the home is not helpful. We all have our stories to tell. We have also paid our dues in emergency waiting rooms hour after hour after hour.

Lois Sparling
Calgary