You can't make this stuff up:
Roll up the gurney.
A Tim Hortons restaurant inside an overcrowded hospital near Vancouver was transformed into an emergency room Monday night.
Four patients were treated in the doughnut shop on Monday night due to overcrowding at New Westminster, B.C.'s Royal Columbian Hospital, officials said. [Read the rest of the story]
That prompted this exchange Tuesday in the House of Commons between Finn Donnelly, the NDP MP for New Westminster and Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq:
Mr. Fin Donnelly (New Westminster—Coquitlam, NDP): Mr. Speaker, it is obvious the Conservatives just do not get it. Yesterday, the lack of emergency resources took an absurd turn. Overcrowding in the Royal Columbian Hospital resulted in patients being treated at Tim Hortons. The Conservative government needs to order a double-double on the double and to wake up and smell the health care crisis in this country. Will the Conservatives listen to New Democrats on public health care to ensure folks are not being treated in a donut shop?
Hon. Leona Aglukkaq (Minister of Health, CPC): Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to a universal publicly funded health care system and the Canada Health Act. Unlike the previous Liberal government, our government will not cut health transfers. We continue to work with the provinces, territories, and health care professionals to look for ways to improve health care systems. That is why we have increased the health transfers to the provinces and the territories by 33%, which Liberals voted against. This significant funding increase allows the provinces and territories to continue to meet the health care needs of their residents.