Compassionate human being and informed citizens the world over are looking on at the current health care 'debate' in the US (and I use the term debate in the loosest way possible) with something akin to slack jawed disbelief.

The American health care system - if you could call whatever is going on down there a system at all - ranks as the world's most expensive while delivering close to the worst service in the developed world and insurance/pharmaceutical industry interests are working overtime to scare Americans into the ill-founded belief that health care coverage is somehow bad for them.

Canada has been a prominent target in that fearmongering, but now Canadians have a chance to voice their views. Avaaz.org has launched a petition aimed at US legislators that debunks the lies being told about the Canadian system, and urges them to make their decisions based on facts.

Visit Avaaz to add you name. They're fast approaching their goal of 50,000 signatures, and every voice counts.