Canadians seek health care fixes in Parliament

As Parliament resumes, Canadians expect health care solutions to be a top priority, with nearly all Canadians (89 per cent) believing that improving access to universal healthcare should be a key priority for government.

A recent poll highlights the urgency of this issue, and Parliamentarians must resist placing access to care on the back burner.

Healthcare Challenges in Canada

Canadians are rightly concerned about providing for their families’ basic needs, and they shouldn’t have to worry about accessing healthcare too, yet an estimated 6.5 million Canadians still don’t have a family doctor.

Surgery and diagnostic delays are still rampant following the pandemic, and Canadians with the ability to do so are increasingly turning to private care options, even draining savings accounts to end the pain they’ve endured for far too long.

Promised Solutions

During the election campaign, the Liberals promised several initiatives to improve healthcare, including adding thousands of new doctors, scaling up team-based care, reducing unnecessary paperwork, and enabling health professionals to work where and when they are needed.

Since the election, federal Health Minister Marjorie Michel has expressed an interest in reducing paperwork for physicians and reintroducing legislation to enhance digital health solutions.

These are good ideas, and it’s now time to turn those promises into policy, as Canadians cannot wait any longer for action.

The federal government’s new “Buy Canada” strategy, aimed at prioritizing Canadian suppliers, materials, and innovation across federal procurement programs, should be applied to healthcare, as our country spends $370 billion a year on healthcare.

Modernizing Healthcare

The Canadian Medical Association has urged governments to modernize healthcare in Canada by enhancing efficiency, driving innovation, and promoting equitable access to care, and has called for government to eliminate barriers to physician mobility.

It’s also necessary to make it easier for physicians to immigrate to Canada and lead a national approach to health workforce planning to eliminate staffing shortages.

As a cancer doctor from New Brunswick, it’s clear that healthcare is not a partisan sport, and when we talk about healthcare challenges and solutions, we need to remember that we’re talking about people.

All Members of Parliament know how important healthcare is, and they all know someone who has struggled to access care when they needed it, so let’s put aside partisan sniping and unhelpful rhetoric and focus on solutions.

By working together, we can create a healthier and stronger Canada for all, and Canadians deserve better, so let’s get to work.