"You made clear that it is not a question of lack of providers in your area..."

I am at a loss again. There is ONE provider. A corporation set up by and funded by the provincial and federal governments.

If you don't like your family doc, you can go to an "after hours" clinic. They are jammed because there are not enough family docs. If you want see a specialist, you need a referral from a GP. Here's how that works, by example. Referral by my family doc on July 13, 2009. Saw ENT June 2, 2010. Operation June 14, 2011. And she is a GREAT doc. Here's why I asked for her....

That was the fastest referral available because she is the new kid on the block. The second fastest referral would have been with the ENT that was VERY upset with me when I told him that I had moved a stone in my parotid gland from just forward of my ear to just forward of the jaw muscle by massaging it. He said, "No." with a scowl and pronounced it a node. I was treated very poorly after that because that just could not happen and I was obviously lying or delusional... Beer, a Mudcatter you may know of was visiting me and saw me do it. Yes, it was a stone and the subsequent problems that arose from the misdiagnosis were nasty and could have been avoided.

I shant go into any more detail. Fact is, ya don't piss them off on accounta you don't HAVE a choice.