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Photo by Zach Vowell

Final Fantasy, meet the grim reality of bureaucratic bullshit. It exists even in Canada, believe it or not, and even within the country's state-subsidized healthcare system that is-- while certainly not without flaws-- still the envy of quite a few folks here in the U.S.

Here's the sad tale [via Torontoist]: Final Fantasy's Owen Pallett recently went to renew the card that entitles him to health insurance coverage under the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP). As is customary, he was asked a number of questions, and in the process of answering them honestly, there arose some doubt as to Pallett's eligibility.

OHIP requires that those receiving health insurance coverage "are in Ontario for at least 153 days in any 12-month period." Pallett, as a touring musician and in-demand collaborator with neither car nor housing lease to his name, could not prove this to the Ministry of Health clerk.

"So, [the clerk] took my health card away," explained Pallett in a message board post quoted by Torontoist.

"I went back, very distraught, with some friends and a notarized document and my high school yearbooks and my diploma. I brought 12 months of cell phone records and Interac [debit card] purchases to prove that I had been in Toronto for 'a lot' of the last year, if not a total of five months' worth. Pathetic, perhaps, and it didn't work. I don't have a lease agreement, or own a car, or have any way to prove (legally) that I'm an Ontario resident.

"She then told me that I could appeal her decision, but that appeals rarely go through. She sneered as she told me this.

"So, if you travel for work, lie, lie, lie."

Some people in high places have already come to Pallett's aid, prompted to an extent, perhaps, by the fact that Pallett has some degree of celebrity in his home country, having won the prestigious Polaris Prize in 2006 for He Poos Clouds.

Two members of Ontario's Legislative Assembly, France Gélinas and Rosario Marchese, sent an open letter Tuesday (February 26) to the province's Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, George Smitherman, on behalf of Pallett [also via Torontoist].

The letter, the full text of which resides below, chastises the hasty revocation "made simply on the basis of a brief conversation" and cites an overlooked exemption in Pallett's case "on the basis of him being absent from Ontario for employment purposes."

Gélinas and Marchese call Pallett "an award winning artist who deserves our support," and ultimately declare that "Owen deserves to have his OHIP coverage immediately reinstated." So there may be hope yet for Pallett and others whose livelihood depends upon travel. We'll keep our violin and piano strings crossed.

And speaking of travel, Pallett's very own, uniquely-funded Maximum Black Festival tour hits Vienna tonight.

Finally, this wouldn't be a bad time to remind folks of the U.S.-based Future of Music Coalition's valiant efforts in the area of musician healthcare.

Letter from France Gélinas and Rosario Marchese:

Minister:

I am writing to urge your immediate intervention to help Owen Pallett, a Toronto-based musician who was recently denied OHIP coverage. Owen, also known as “Final Fantasy,” is an award winning artist who deserves our support. Instead, he was unfairly treated by your Ministry. Please find attached a package outlining his concerns.

Owen is an Ontario resident who frequently travels to perform for audiences not only in Canada but worldwide. When Owen went to renew his expired OHIP card, his coverage was immediately revoked on the basis that he was outside the province for a period more than 153 days. This determination was made simply on the basis of a brief conversation.

Minister, such swift actions are both inappropriate, unnecessary and violate the Health Insurance Act. No Ontarian should see his or her OHIP coverage summarily revoked. Instead, all Ministry officials should work with the public to ensure that all applications are properly processed.

I understand that according to the Health Insurance Act, Regulation 552, Section 1.1 (3) 1, Owen would be considered exempt from the 153 day requirement on the basis of him being absent from Ontario for employment purposes. This exemption should have been more thoroughly explored before Owen’s OHIP was abruptly revoked.

Minister, your assistance is required. The right to public health care is a value cherished by Ontarians. The public should never fear that their access to health care can so easily be revoked. Owen deserves to have his OHIP coverage immediately reinstated.

I look forward to hearing from your office.

Sincerely,

France Gélinas Rosario Marchese
NDP Critic for Health and Long-Term Care Trinity-Spadina MPP
cc: Owen Pallett

Final Fantasy:

02-28 Vienna, Austria - Arena (Maximum Black Festival) *#
02-29 London, England - The Forum (Maximum Black Festival) #%
03-02 Berlin, Germany - Postbahnhof (Maximum Black Festival) *#^

* with Deerhoof
# with Dirty Projectors, Frog Eyes, Six Organs of Admittance
% with Stephen O'Malley + Alexander Tucker Duo
^ with Max Tundra