You take off your swim cap and wave it around to let the lifeguard know you are in trouble. As you say though, it requires you to be thinking clearly enough and be capable of doing this.
“…the government pays for whatever treatment those Canucks you are treating get.”
i’m not sure, but are you saying that the canadian government pays for the treatment patients are given if they go to the u.s. for treatment? if so, this is inaccurate. if you go to the u.s. for treatment (by choice) and you don’t have some sort of u.s. health insurance, you are paying out of pocket. not sure what the deal is if you actually are sent to the u.s. (to the mayo clinic for example) by a canadian physician or hospital. you may still have to pay for it yourself. this is where much of the debate (as i see it) really comes in. the service is there and readily accessible in the u.s. IF you have the insurance/ cash to pay for it, while here in canada, the services are covered, but you have to wait a hell of a long time (time which you may or may not have) to get access to them.