In many of my past articles, I have shown that the biggest policy directions of this government are driven by the number game, which includes the manipulation or adulteration of statistics related to our social and economic conditions. Dr. Cassidy's study is another exercise of futility, a waste of taxpayers' money, and a symptomatic consequence of the bad faith of this government and of its fraudulent practices perpetrated in health care(1), in workers' compensation(2), and in governmental insurance. Dr. Michael Freeman(3) and Dr. Harold Merskey(4) have analysed Dr. Cassidy's study and they both have discounted the scientific validity of this study within the accepted framework of statistical analysis. In particular, Dr. Freeman has stated "This is one of the most misleading studies that I have ever come across. There are so many problems with this superficially impressive study that it is difficult to know where to begin" while Dr. Merskey has alternatively dismissed the relevance of this study by saying "The inconsistencies in the New England Journal article with respect to data and data management, and the problem with data that is inexplicably missing, exceed by far anything acceptable in a peer review journal." One of the basic premise of this study was to show that within an accepted and standardized definition of whiplash injury the No-Fault insurance system would provide the recovered injured people with better health and better physical conditions than under the previous Tort-Compensation system. Dr. Cassidy's conclusions that "the elimination of compensation for pain and suffering is associated with a decreased incidence and improved prognosis of whiplash injury" is a fraudulent statement per se!

How can the change to the No-Fault insurance system affect immediately the incidence of whiplash claims if the same definition of claim is maintained as per the Tort-Compensation system? One of the tenet of statistics is the opportunity to repeat independent experiments, and Dr. Cassidy's study violates this basic tenet.

How can Dr. Cassidy provide reasonable evidence that the change to the No-Fault insurance system with different rehabilitation and administrative regulatory programs can improve the recovery time of the injured by two times as much compared to the Tort-Compensation when i)the recovery time is equated to claim settlement, ii)the same injured people under No-Fault, state that they still suffer pain after their supposed claim settlement, iii)the same injured people under No-Fault, state that they have been coerced and administratively harassed to either settle the claim or follow specific rehabilitation program(5); iv)Justice Thomas Wakeling resigns as chair from the supposed independent governmental review committee of the No-Fault system, states that the job was too stressful for him, and as a sign of contempt for the governmental interference charges the government close to 13,000 dollars for a total of 14 days on the committee(6) and v)Dr. Jim Melenchuck, prior to becoming Minister of Education with this government, has expressed his own unpleasant experiences as a doctor with the No-Fault insurance system(7) and has specifically stated "No-Fault is unfair, it is unjust, and it is unhealthy(8)"? No, it doesn't make common sense to say that under No-Fault insurance whiplash victims are emotionally and physically better than under the Tort-Compensation system. This study is against the common sense of people and therefore it is a fraud for all the present whiplash victims in Saskatchewan. And if this No-Fault legislation is not repealed, this study is going to be a chronic fraud perpetrated by this government against all the people of Saskatchewan.

References & Endnotes

Quote by Donella Meadows "challenging a paradigm is not a part-time job. It is not sufficient to make your point once and then blame the world for not getting it. The world has a vested interest in, a commitment to, not getting it. The point has to be made patiently and repeatedly, day after day after day" ftp://sysdyn.mit.edu/ftp/sdep/Roadmaps/RM1/D-4143-1.pdf http://iisd1.iisd.ca/pcdf/meadows/default.htm

General reference: Articles by Mario deSantis published by Ensign http://www.ftlcomm.com/ensign/authors/desantis.html

Dr. Cassidy's study on no-fault insurance: supporting another shock absorber, by Mario deSantis, April 20, 2000 http://www.ftlcomm.com/ensign/desantisArticles/2000/desantis164/nofault.html

The fight against No-Fault Insurance is a fight for our Freedom: Attend the Public Forum at the Saskatoon Public Library on May 13, 2000, by Mario deSantis, May 9, 2000 http://www.ftlcomm.com/ensign/desantisArticles/2000/desantis168/Cassidy.html

1. Dr. Steven Lewis: Preaching the Gospel of Statistics at SAHO Convention, by Mario deSantis, March 23, 2000 http://ensign.ftlcomm.com/desantisArticles/2000/desantis145/DrLewisSAHO.html

2. The WCB is defrauding the Saskatchewan People, by Mario deSantis, June 22, 1999 http://www.ftlcomm.com/ensign/desantisArticles/desantis60/wcb.html

3. Letter From Dr. Freeman About SGI's No Fault Study!!! Coalition Against No Fault In Saskatchewan, Box 24007, 240 Albert Street, Regina, Saskatchewan S4R 8R8, (306)546-4424 coalition@dlcwest.com http://www.angelfire.com/nf/coalitionagainstnf/LetterFromDr.Freeman.htm

4. Dr. Merskey And Dr. Teasel Critique The SGI/University Of Saskatchewan Study "Misleading And Potentialy Harmfu! Letter dated May 8, 2000 from Dr. Harold Merskey to Ms. Lorie Terry. http://www.angelfire.com/nf/coalitionagainstnf/Merskey.htm Dr. Merskey Writes An Addendum To His Critique Adding That Chart In Study Shows 25% Of Claims Still Open At One Year http://www.angelfire.com/nf/coalitionagainstnf/addendum.htm

5. Transcipts Of Our First Meeting In Regina!, Coalition Against No Fault In Saskatchewan, coalition@dlcwest.com http://www.angelfire.com/nf/coalitionagainstnf/library1.htm

6. No new chair for no-fault committee CBC Saskatchewan, http://sask.cbc.ca/ Web Posted | May 1 2000 8:47 PM EDT

7. No fault insurance rallies, CBC Saskatchewan, http://sask.cbc.ca/ WebPosted Aug 27 1999 11:28 AM EDT

8. Campaign promise haunts Saskatchewan Liberal Leader, CBC Saskatchewan, http://sask.cbc.ca/ Web Posted | May 18 2000 8:31 PM EDT