News from a universe just next door

Paul Wells entitles this post "Earthquake", and for good reason. First, read the quoted material below, then check the extended entry for the punchline:

"It is false and tendentious to establish a link between private-sector participation in the health-care system and the degree of progressiveness of a society. How can you claim that societies like France, England or Sweden are less socially advanced than Quebec on the basis of private-sector participation in their health systems? It's easy to see this makes no sense.

"The Scandinavian countries themselves have private participation in their health systems. As far as I know, nobody accuses them of being socially backward."

Here's the alternate universe part of the whole thing:

This statement was made in Quebec's National Assembly during an emergency debate on Friday by Philippe Couillard. He is Quebec's minister of health.

He is a Liberal.