The Canadian government could end the shortage of doctors and nurses in the country by making it easier for health care practitioners who immigrate to get their qualifications here, Pitt Meadows-Maple Ridge MP Marc Dalton said in Parliament recently.

Dalton said six million Canadians don乌鸦传媒檛 have a family doctor, and many more are forced into long waits, 乌鸦传媒渟ometimes years,乌鸦传媒� for health care, because of staffing shortages.

乌鸦传媒淲e don乌鸦传媒檛 have enough doctors, we don乌鸦传媒檛 have enough nurses. It doesn乌鸦传媒檛 have to be this way,乌鸦传媒� he said.

In the House of Commons he referred to 20,000 immigrant doctors and 30,000 nurses who are not able to practise due to the 乌鸦传媒渕aze of regulations.乌鸦传媒�

乌鸦传媒淭he human anatomy is the same across the world,乌鸦传媒� he noted.

Dalton told The News he raised the issue after meeting an abdominal surgeon from Ukraine who could not get his qualifications recognized in Canada, and is instead starting his own business.

The doctor he referred to is Maple Ridge resident Bill Jakobs. The former surgeon told The News it would take about six years for him to become a doctor in Canada, despite his schooling and past experience. The schooling he needs would have been costly, as well as time consuming, and as the primary breadwinner for his family, Jakobs was forced to move in another direction.

He had volunteered as a doctor with the UN, working with patients with AIDS and drug addiction. He has expertise in logistics and the global supply chain, and is now setting up a business that uses those skills.

Jakobs sees an ailing health care system in Canada. He now has experience as a patient needing health care, and being put on a waiting list.

乌鸦传媒淚t can be hard to get to a doctor, or a specialist surgeon 乌鸦传媒� it takes forever.乌鸦传媒�

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Jakobs乌鸦传媒� father was a surgeon. His 16-year-old son is considering medicine, potentially following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, but Jakobs said it is a difficult decision, because of the time and expense to become a doctor, and lack of work-life balance for physicians.

乌鸦传媒淚 heard a lot of discouragement, talking to professionals here,乌鸦传媒� he said.

Dalton said the Conservative opposition proposes a national blue seal testing centre, where professionals immigrating could get an examination, and they would know within 60 days whether or not they can work in Canada.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 a big deal 乌鸦传媒� it impacts everyone,乌鸦传媒� Dalton said. 乌鸦传媒淚mmigrant doctors and nurses could really fill a big gap.乌鸦传媒�

乌鸦传媒淭he regulatory requirements and red tape is so big, so cumbersome, that it乌鸦传媒檚 a tremendous challenge,乌鸦传媒� said Dalton. 乌鸦传媒淐anadians lose out, because we have a doctor and nurse shortage, and it乌鸦传媒檚 a felt need.乌鸦传媒�

The Doctors of BC, an association of physicians, residents and medical students, says it supports the proposal to bring in a new national standard for medical licensing, but it乌鸦传媒檚 skeptical about the feasibility of the suggested strategy.

President Joshua Greggain says the organization is in full support of Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre乌鸦传媒檚 recent call to improve and speed up healthcare professionals乌鸦传媒� integration around Canada.

乌鸦传媒淣ational licensure and portability between provinces would be a really good thing to help the physician supply as well as the nurses,乌鸦传媒� Greggain said.

For it to happen, he says it would take national collaboration, and that would not happen quickly enough to solve the current shortages.

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