it's not as easy as buying private insurance, to the limited ability it's even allowed here, either. this isn't a right-wing argument, it's a left-wing argument; i'm not bitching about taxes, i'm concerned about central planning and resource allocation. 

the applicants that should be prioritized are the ones young enough to continue working, and who are likely to find work when they get here. even at 55 or 60, a few years contribution into the system is justification to start getting benefits when you get into your 70s.

i can think of no logical argument that justifies dumping people that lived the first 70 or 75 years of their lives in another country into canada's overburdened public health queue. these people should be accessing health care in the countries they came from.