#it's certainly less positive and highlights the failures of the government so it was spun as

[awkward-teabag]

And people (read: politicians) wonder why no one wants to go into family practice rather than specializing.

I'm glad the article mentions how BC just changed our system (granted it's opt-in) as before family doctors were making about $30/visit. It was at a point where people were either specializing, leaving the province, or opting to not move here in the first place because the pay wasn't enough with the high cost of living, particularly housing.

Of course it would also help if family doctors weren't also expected to pay out of pocket for equipment, leases, staff, etc... Because if you specialize, you make more money and get to keep everything after taxes for yourself.

So I'm not surprised Ontario pays so little, especially under Ford.

As the number of people across Ontario without a family doctor reaches a record high, Premier Doug Ford's government is facing a fresh push to make family practice more attractive to physicians by improving compensation.

The contract that covers how doctors are paid in this province, known as the physician services agreement, expires at the end of March. The government is in negotiations with the Ontario Medical Association (OMA), the doctors' bargaining agent, on a new deal. 

Family doctors' pay in particular is in the spotlight in those talks, in a way that it hasn't been for a long time.

That's in part because there's a growing chorus of physicians arguing that compensation is one of the key root causes why at least 2.2 million Ontarians don't have a family doctor, a number forecast to nearly double in just a few years. [...]

Continue Reading.

Tagging: @politicsofcanada

[mayasha-chan]

Lost in a Land of Hope and Despair - Chapter 1

Fandom: Danganronpa V3

Rating: T

Summary: "Tell me... are you lost, Kaede?"

Kaede dreams of a world free of rules and reason. Maybe in a world such as that, someone could love her for who she truly is.

Then along comes a strange boy with white, rabbit ears, who thrusts her into an incredible world, thwart with danger, excitement and bizarre situations at every turn.

Within this kingdom teeming of Hope and Despair, will Kaede be able to find her way home? Or will she lose her heart along the way...

(Danganronpa V3/Alice in the Country of Hearts Crossover AU) (Multi-Endings)

Written by Mayasha-Chan (Can also be found on AO3 - HERE)

Tick.

Tock.

Tick.

Tock.

Round and round, spun the hands of time. The ever relentless periodic ticking reminding them all, that they were alive. That despite this world of madness and chaos, nothing could take that from them. It was both a gift, and a curse.

For once that ticking stopped, so did their life.

In this world swirling in hope and despair….

There is no order.

There are no laws of logic.

Just oddities formed from the minds of those who long for a world, outside their own.

But the only way to enter such a world, is to play the game. A game where victory can mean eternal happiness, and failure, will leave you lost. Forever.

And to play the game, one must be truly lost.

Tell me… are you lost, Kaede?

-------------------------------------

“And with this, Lord Kanda cemented his alliance with the Kuma family. Bringing with him an abundance of wealth and spices for the New World—Kaede! Are you even listening to me?”

Blinking away her sleepiness, Kaede stretched her arms above her head and yawned, “I’m sorry, Ms Yui. I’m afraid I dozed off again.” She attempted to give the female tutor her best apologetic look, but by the expression on Yui’s face, it was clear that she didn’t believe her for a second.

“Honestly young Lady, can’t you keep your head out of the clouds for five seconds?” Yui sighed as she closed the history book she’d been reading, and gracefully rose to her feet with the evident poise of a well-educated, sophisticated lady. Kaede knew that if she had tried to attempt such an action, she would end up flat on her face. The mere thought was enough to make her cringe.

Brushing off the invisible – or rather non-existent – dirt from her dress, Yui fixed Kaede with a sharp look that Kaede had seen so many times now, it didn’t faze her. She’d received the same look from her father, mother, and every lady of the court. They all said the same thing.

You will never be one of us.

“Your looks really are the only good thing about you, dear girl. With your poor social etiquette, lack of discipline and elegance. Not to mention your obsession with that wretched piano! It’s no wonder no man will come near you, not even your former fiancé.”

How dare she. How dare she. Kaede gritted her teeth, feeling her anger flood her veins – fists clenched so tightly her nails were digging into her palms. No one, and that meant no one, was allowed to speak of him around her. Plastering an overtly sweet smile on her face, Kaede said “But Ms Yui, didn’t you know? I’m doing far more than just losing my head in the clouds. I am actually travelling to a completely different world, born from the greatest depths of imagination. It’s wonderful! There are no rules nor reason to govern it. No need for stiff pleasantries or false smiles. And certainly no stuck-up, two-faced “ladies of the court” criticising every aspect of my being!”

Kaede realised she was shouting by the end, but she didn’t care. Not even checking Ms Yui’s reaction, she immediately stormed off to the Rose Garden in search of her favourite spot – the bank by the riverbed. Flanked by a multitude of rose bushes, it was a scheduled area to those that didn’t know of its existence, which is part of the reason why Kaede liked it. It was a private place, where she could get away from the prying judgemental eyes of her family and their associates.

With a huff, Kaede let her body fall back onto the grassy ground and closed her eyes. Once more, she let the beautiful noises around her create their own melody; the rush of the river, the gentle buzz of dragonflies as they danced though the wind, the feather light caress of a summer breeze. It truly was a symphony of nature. One that would always calm her whenever she was feeling stressed.

She didn’t need the prickly Ms Yui telling her that she wasn’t fit to be a lady. She knew that well enough herself. In fact, her father and mother took it upon themselves to remind her every day of her shortcomings. She was clumsy, outspoken, prone to daydreaming and always liked to spend her time either behind the piano or in the garden. It was a no brainer really.

Even her choice of clothes made her mother turn her nose up at her. Kaede did prefer much less – poof – in her outfits than the other ladies did. The outfit she was wearing right now was in fact one of her favourites; the dress was a soft pink colour with black music notes decorating the edges and a few layers of petticoats under the skirt to add a little fluff. The dress itself was worn under a white trimmed pinafore. On her wrists, she wore two silver bands shaped like music notes, similar to the note hair clips in her hair. She also wore two long white and purple stripped socks, topped off by purple clogs.

Kaede fiddled with the silver band on her wrist and sighed. She didn’t see anything wrong with the way she dressed, it just reflected her love of music, and what was wrong with that?

Everything, apparently.

Plucking a dandelion from the ground, Kaede twirled it between her fingers and starting humming as she thought back on her dream from earlier.

“’A world born from the depths of imagination’ If only such a world existed, outside of my dreams.” Kaede smiled as images of her world flooded her mind. “A world without rules or reason. A world filled with fun, colour and excitement! And a world where someone might… love me.”

The fleeting image of her former fiancé flashed through her mind, causing her to flinch. ‘No. Don’t think about the past.’ Kaede shook her head and gazed once more at the dandelion once again.

Poor lost girl. Such beauty, equal only to a kind, loving heart that was betrayed by one who did not deserve it. Such a gift is wasted on your world. To you, sweet Kaede, I offer a wonderful, wonder world… If you partake in my game.

Kaede frowned. The dandelion suddenly seemed to appear brighter. Almost as if it were glowing. But that was probably just from the sunlight, right?

Brushing the matter off as such, Kaede felt a sudden childish impulse to make a wish on the dandelion. Just like she had done as a child.

‘A wish couldn’t hurt. Right?’

Smiling, Kaede took a deep breath and then exhaled, watching the fluff on the dandelion fly away – carrying her wish from deep within her heart with it.

What an excellent choice.

A violent gust of wind suddenly tore through the hideout, sending the peaceful atmosphere into complete disarray. Kaede screamed and raised her hands to protect her face as branches and twigs flew a hair’s breadth past her face. But, just as quickly as it came, it disappeared. Leaving the poor young blonde gawking as in its absence, a man had appeared.

A very peculiar man indeed.

Strangely, he looked no older than herself. Well, she was only guessing that based on his lanky frame and young features. His skin seemed rather pale, sickly even. Did this boy stay indoors most of the time? His lack of skin colour was only highlighted further by the jet white, spikey locks that framed his face, and a rather disobedient strand that seemed to defy gravity – much like Kaede’s own one. Though, his did appear more… sharp. His clothes were certainly, unlike any she had even seen before. He appeared to be dressed in a black and white checkered suit, complete with a white dress shirt and plain black bowtie. Though, the strangest things about this boy happened to be the enormous pocket-watch hanging round his neck, and the huge white rabbit ears protruding from his head.

All in all, Kaede found herself utterly speechless.

“So, this is the realm of the outsiders. Fascinating!” Taking a quick gander at his surroundings, the boy soon focused his attention on Kaede’s frozen form. “Excuse me, but are you Kaede by any chance?”

Still trying to gather her senses, Kaede could only dumbly nod in response.

This made the man smile. Which was the last thing she saw before he rapidly moved towards her and pinned her to the ground. The action left Kaede even more bewildered than before. However, that didn’t stop her from realising the dangerous position she was suddenly in. Immediately she began to struggle, but to no avail.

“What the—What the heck do you think you’re doing?! Let me go!” Kaede cried.

“I’m terribly sorry, Kaede. It’ll be over soon.” Kaede gaped in shock, as the boy deftly pulled out a small glass bottle from his within his jacket, and popped the heart shaped lid off with a simple flick of his thumb. Then, before Kaede could even react, the liquid contents of the bottle were being forcefully poured down her throat.

Barely seconds passed before the bottle was empty, at which point the man released her and Kaede shot up, holding her throat as she coughed.

“W-What—What was that?! What did you make me drink?” Dear lord, it felt like her throat was burning now. Had he poisoned her?!

Shaking his head, the man retrieved the bottle lid and gently popped it back on, swiftly returning it back inside his jacket. “I must apologise again, dear Kaede. It is merely a requirement to bring you to our world.”

‘Oh God. It’s official. I’ve lost my mind.” Kaede thought. ‘Dreaming. That’s it! I must be dreaming right now!’

Quickly rising to her feet, Kaede slowly backed away from the ‘figment of her imagination’ and laughed nervously, “Ok. It’s clear to see that I’ve obviously been sitting in the sun for far too long today. So, I’m just going to go now.”

The words had barely left her lips, when she suddenly found herself being lifted off the ground and held in a vice like grip by the strange man.

“Again, I’m sorry Kaede. But you need to go to our world now, otherwise you will be terribly late.” He shot her a brief apologetic look, and then completely let go of her. Kaede barely caught a glance at the large, dark hole that had mysterious appeared beneath her, before losing all sense of logical thought, and sight of the world around her. As her vision turned black, all she could hear were her own screams, echoing back at her.

Game Commence.