[nick__m]

The Canadian system (well the one in Québec anyway, each province manages it's own system so I cannot tell about the other province. Hell, I cannot even tell about the one in other administrative regions inside Québec) has a big luck component.

If your lucky enough to have an accessible primary care physician who personally knows specialist and lives where there is a University hospital center, the system is awesome. If you don't, the system appears to be a special kind of administrative hell.