Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., toured Canadian hospitals this past weekend to better understand the nation's single-payer healthcare system, capping his visit with a sold-out speech at the University of Toronto Sunday, according to the Toronto Star.
Mr. Sanders received four standing ovations during his speech, in which he praised Canada's healthcare system and decried the U.S. government's inability to ensure access to healthcare for all its citizens. He blamed the lack of a single-payer system in the U.S. on corporate influence in politics, drawing attention to particular groups such as the Koch brothers, who he accused of peddling political donations in return for influence.
"The U.S. system is not designed to provide quality care for all people in a cost effective way, but frankly [is] a system designed to make billions in profit for the drug companies and the insurance companies," Mr. Sanders said, according to the Toronto Star.
Mr. Sanders toured three Canadian hospitals Saturday, and in his speech, he lauded Canada for providing universal healthcare to its citizens at half the cost of care in the U.S. However, he added that Canadians pay too much for prescription drugs.
Former Canadian parliamentary member Ed Broadbent attended the speech, calling Mr. Sanders "North America's leading social democrat." Mr. Broadbent said that if Mr. Sanders' proposed Medicare-for-all legislation is passed, it would provide more comprehensive care than Canada's system, as it would include pharmaceutical, dental and mental health coverage.