To the Hon. Minister Adrian Dix,

I am writing an open letter in response to your recent comments on Global News regarding BC Cancer losing my referral and the need for me to flee to the United States for life saving treatment. Your comments were a glaring exhibit of the disconnect that plagues your office and the entire province is paying the price.

To suggest that the system merely “doesn’t always get it right” is a gross understatement, bordering on denial. Our healthcare system isn’t tripping over minor hurdles; it’s plummeting off a cliff. We’re not dealing with ‘occasional misses’; we’re grappling with a chronically diseased system where inefficiency and neglect have become the norm.

Let’s talk facts, Minister. I raised the alarm because I know that I am not the only one whose life has been endangered by systemic problems. 1-in-4 BC residents are without a family doctor. All residents face outrageous wait times, the median of which for surgical care is reported at 25.8 weeks for surgical care, as per the Fraser Institute’s report dated October 31, 2023. This, after enduring significant delays to see specialists. These are not just inconvenient delays; these are life-altering, sometimes life-ending delays that fly far beyond what doctors would consider a reasonable wait.

Your suggestion that making a complaint is a viable solution is insultingly inadequate. Insulting not just to me, but to every person relying on your ministry for care, as well as their families, friends, caregivers and the entire medical community buckling under the weight of these issues. It’s akin to offering a band-aid to a patient in need of open-heart surgery. The channels for complaint you tout lack independence. They are affiliated with the ministry – a classic case of the fox guarding the henhouse. Given that the ministry has demonstrated an unwillingness to take the best measures to ensure best outcomes for residents, how can you expect citizens to put their faith in such channels?

We need real change, not a feedback box gathering dust in the corner of a crumbling system.

Since going public, I’ve been inundated with stories from BC residents whose lives have been upended by the very system that’s supposed to heal and protect them. Stories of pain, neglect, worsened outcomes and, sadly, unnecessary losses. These aren’t just anecdotes; they’re evidence of a system in crisis.

Minister Dix, we don’t need empty assurances or bureaucratic labyrinths. We need aggressive action. We need a leader who can acknowledge the problem and take ownership of it. We need someone who will roll up their sleeves and dive headfirst into the mess to enact real reforms that yield tangible results. We need an immediate reversal of all policies and practices that have contributed to doctors leaving BC We need a ministry that acts proactively by listening when experts sound the alarm about the system not being able to keep up with care.

So, here’s my commitment: I will keep amplifying these stories. I will make sure the voices of the neglected and forgotten are heard. I will stand as a beacon for those lost in the system. And I will hold you and your office accountable for every moment of inaction, for every story of suffering that could have been prevented.

British Columbians deserve a healthcare system that works, not one that fails them when they need it most. We demand you be a leader who delivers results, not excuses. No more platitudes. We need immediate, meaningful action. Anything less is unacceptable.

Sincerely,

Kristin Logan
Campbell River, BC