Canadian Social Research Links

The Medicare Funding Debate
in Canada
Sites de recherche sociale au Canada

Le débat sur le financement
de l'assurance-maladie au Canada
Updated February 21, 2008
Page révisée le 21 février 2008
[ Go to Canadian Social Research Links Home Page ]

NOTE: for more information about the Council of the Federation, go to the Canadian Social Research Links Council of the Federation page

 

NOTE: this page is organized in reverse chronological order, more or less...

From the :


February 19, 2008
A provincial task force is recommending health-care user fees and greater privatization to guarantee the viability of medical care in Quebec.The task force, headed by former Liberal cabinet minister Claude Castonguay, calls for a shakeup of principles guiding medical care in Quebec to control spiralling costs.


February 18, 2008
Quebec's largest labour federation is worried an impending report on health-care financing will clear the way for two-tiered care, allowing private services at the expense of the public system.
TIP: this page contains links to three more articles, under "Related".

(from Google.ca)

From the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE):


February 20, 2008
A Québec government-sponsored report calling for radical privatization of the health care system came out this week just as the federal government proved once again that they're not willing to enforce their own laws on public health care. The Castonguay report's recommendations read like a laundry list for privatized health care.

Related links:

*
* (PDF file - 120K, 4 pages)
News Release - February 19, 2008
Source:
(QC Government)

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From - Updated to January 2009

NOTE: This is a key resource for anyone who wants to know about federal transfers to provinces and territories for health, post-secondary education, social assistance (welfare) and social services (including early childhood development). Federal Transfers to Provinces and Territories is a permanent - and helpful (thanks, Finance Canada folks!) feature of the Department's website; it was most recently updated in January 2009.


This is the most comprehensive collection of federal government information you'll find online concerning federal transfers to the provinces and territories for health, post-secondary education, social assistance and social services (including early childhood development). From April 1996 until March 2004, federal government contributions for these program areas were combined in a single block transfer called the Canada Health and Social Transfer. In April 2004, the CHSt was split into (1) the Canada Health Transfer, to cover a portion of provincial-territorial health costs, and (2) the Canada Social Transfer, to cover the rest of the areas listed in the first sentence in this paragraph


- transfers to each province and territory, covering the latest five-year period, for the four major transfer programs: the Canada Health Transfer, the Canada Social Transfer, Equalization and Territorial Formula Financing.
The following links are to brief descriptions of each of those transfers.


"the primary federal transfer to provinces and territories in support of health care"


"...a federal block transfer to provinces and territories in support of post-secondary education, social assistance and social services, including early childhood development and early learning and childcare"

---


- covers the period from the launch of the Canada Assistance Plan in 1966 until 2007

(and investments over time)
- incl. a brief description of, and payment information for, the Universal Child Care Plan (2006 and 2007), the Early Learning and Child Care Initiative (2005), the Early Learning and Child Care Framework Agreement (2003), Support for First Nations and Aboriginal Children (ongoing) and the Early Childhood Development Agreement (2000)

Related link:


December 2008
"(...) The federal government uses a number of mechanisms to transfer funds to the provinces and territories for general areas of spending such as health or for specific purposes such as improving infrastructure. In 2006–07, these federal transfers amounted to approximately $50 billion, or just under 23 percent of federal spending. Our study examined the three main mechanisms used by the federal government to transfer funds to the provinces and territories. We also looked at the nature and extent of conditions attached to these transfers."
Source:
Chapter 1 of the
February 5, 2009
[ ]

- Go to the Canada Assistance Plan / Canada Health and Social Transfer / Canada Social Transfer Resources page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/cap.htm
- Go to the Federal Government Department Links (Agriculture to Finance) page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/fedbkmrk.htm

Medicare crisis in Australia?


By Jeremy Sammut

Posted
This report outlines the combined impact of demographic trends toward ageing and the increasing costs of new high-tech medical technology on healthcare supply and demand in the future. As well as the implications for intergenerational conflict as the baby boomers begin to expect Generations X and Y to bare the tax burden for their care.

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A Closer Look at Aging, Technology and Other Cost Drivers in Canada’s Health Care System
September 13, 2007
Source:

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From the :


Conference
Regina, Saskatchewan
May 3-4, 2007

(PDF file - 8MB)


- Session #1: Tommy Douglas’ Vision and the Future of Medicare
- Session #2: International perspective
- Session #3: Financing to Achieve Greater Equity
- Session #4: Health Care Reforms: Pharmacare, Home Care & Primary Care
- Session #5: Social Determinants of Health
- Stephen Lewis Luncheon Speech
- Session #6: Getting There From Here

Related links:

(PDF file - 45K, 2 pages)
Post Conference Statement
May 4, 2007

(PDF file - 61K, 3 pages)
Conference Media Release
May 3, 2007

MEDIA COVERAGE


Regina Leader-Post (May 19, 2007)


Health Edition (May 11, 2007)


Regina Leader-Post (May 3-5, 2007)

(AUDIO FORMAT)
CBC Saskatchewan (May 3, 2007)

(AUDIO FORMAT) welcoming delegates to S.O.S. Medicare.
This five-minute speech was replayed to kick-off S.O.S. Medicare 2: Looking Forward.

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(PDF file - 645K, 36 pages)
October 2006
"The analysis in this study show that, if provincial governments continue to pursue policies that lead to the same rates of growth in health spending and revenue that have been observed in the recent past, public health-care expenditures will soon exceed the capacity of governments to pay for them."
(October 2/06)

Source:

[ - from ]

Related Links:

From the :

*
October 6, 2006
"The Fraser Institute’s third annual report on the financial sustainability of provincial health insurance just found, to no-one’s surprise, that “health care financing, as it is currently structured in Canada, is not financially sustainable” and that reform is needed to increase privatization of the system. But their approach is highly faulty. It extrapolates 60 years ahead based on the recent averages and it doesn’t confront the fastest growing component of health care: the rising costs of drugs. The study simply took the most recent five-year annual average for provincial health care spending for each province and projected that rate of growth 60 years into the future. It then measured “sustainability” by comparing this to similar projections for provincial revenues and GDP. They claim that health care spending is on track to bankrupt all provinces within 60 years."
...and here's my favourite part, from the "bio notes" at the bottom of the article [Gilles]
"Toby Sanger is an economist with the Canadian Union of Public Employees (...) If he continues to gain weight at the same rate that he has over the past month, he will weigh approximately 132,735 pounds when he is 64 years old – and will weigh more than the Empire State Building if he lives to 91."
(198K, 3 pages)
*NOTE: the PDF version includes a graph showing "escalating provincial spending on drugs"which doesn't appear in the HTML online version unless you click on the mysterious wavy lines beside the title of the article.

From the :
["The Canadian Health Coalition is a public advocacy organization dedicated to the preservation and improvement of Medicare. Our membership is comprised of national organizations representing nurses, health care workers, seniors, churches, anti-poverty, women and trade unions as well as affiliated coalitions in 9 provinces and one territory."]

Press Release
September 21, 2006
(Ottawa) - The Canadian Health Coalition today welcomed the Progress Report on the National Pharmaceutical Strategy (NPS). The Strategy to improve pharmaceutical management will lead to more equitable access, better health outcomes and better value for money spent on drug therapy.

Progress Report on the National Pharmaceutical Strategy
June 2006
* (PDF file - 1.3MB, 48 pages)
* (PDF file - 1.4MB, 57 pages)

(PDF file - 185K, 28 pages)
February 2006 (Updated May 26, 2006)
"The Canadian Health Coalition renewed its call today for a national Pharmacare plan to:
- Replace our patchwork U.S.- style drug insurance plans that drive up spending and leave millions without access
- Provide universal, first-dollar coverage for cost-effective and safe drugs
- Pay only for what’s safe and works – save lives, money and competitiveness."

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"Created in December 2003, as a result of the 2003 First Ministers' Health Accord, and following the recommendations of the Romanow and Kirby Reports, the Health Council of Canada is mandated to monitor and report on the progress of health care renewal in Canada."

(PDF file 67K, 2 pages)
News Release
WINNIPEG, JUNE 22, 2006 – While the health of Canada’s children and youth is generally good, especially by global standards, there are serious trouble spots within this population that require strategic, immediate and sustained attention, the Health Council of Canada said in a report released today. The report, Their Future Is Now: Healthy Choices for Canada’s Children & Youth, says many of those
problems are in fact preventable – if we act now. The report looks broadly across child health issues, from immunization and obesity risks to mental health and crime prevention, reviews government commitments to improve child health, highlights effective regional programs and the ingredients key to their success, and offers advice for future action.

(PDF file - 51K, 1 page)

Complete report:

(2.5MB, 52 pages)
June 2006

June 21
Dr. Nuala Kenny, chair of the Health Council of Canada’s working group which created Their Future Is Now: Healthy Choices for Canada’s Children & Youth, penned this op-ed piece for the Toronto Star.

January 27, 2005
News Release
"DAVOS, Switzerland - Federal Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh today welcomed the release of the Health Council of Canada's first annual report on the country's health system."
Source:

Complete report:


January 2005
"This first report [of the Health Council of Canada] covers activity across Canada launched or being planned from the 2003 Accord. Priority areas are the health of Canadians, primary health care, drugs, home care, health human resources, and infrastructure to support renewal."
-click through the report using the links in the left margin of the page

Be sure to check out the References section of the report (the link below) for a bibliography of documents and a large collection of links to online resources:
(PDF file- 67K, 27 pages)
- list of reports, articles, websites and information about selected health care initiatives used to generate Health Care Renewal in Canada.

Source:

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(PDF file - 40K 14 pages)
Time to unleash Canada's "miracle potential", says Roy Romanow
Hon. Roy J. Romanow, P.C., O.C., Q.C.
On the Occasion of the 20th Anniversary of the
Council of Canadians
Ottawa, ON
November 4, 2005
"It's time to dream big about how we will shape the future of Canada, said Roy Romanow in a speech marking the 20th anniversary of the Council of Canadians. 'Canada is a nation with miracle potential. It is a nation that needs to be put back on track. We must get back to that Canadian balance between the individual and community, between nation and enterprise,' said Romanow. A sense of a shared destiny has nurtured Canada's legacy of fairness for its people, diversity, civility, respect, and the pursuit of peace. But today this legacy seems in jeopardy as the gap between rich and poor grows, Canada's medicare system calls out for reform, and major challenges face us in terms of a cleaner environment and the improvement of life prospects for Aboriginal peoples."

Related Links:

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Yvan Loubier, M.P. (Chair of the Subcommittee)
Standing Committee on Finance
June 2005
(1.6MB, 92 pages)
Source:
Source:

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Health privatization inventory underscores need for action
August 10, 2005
"OTTAWA, ON. – Canada’s largest union is urging provincial and territorial leaders, meeting today at the Council of the Federation in Banff, Alb., to take a vital step in shortening wait times for medical treatment by stopping the spread of health care privatization."

Related Links:


(Word file - 33K)

Source:

Related Link:

(includes media releases from the meeting)

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News Release
February 7, 2005
"Minister of Finance Ralph Goodale today tabled legislation in the House of Commons to implement the Government of Canada’s 10-Year Plan to Strengthen Health Care, which was signed by all 14 first ministers at their September 2004 meeting."
Source:


- from the

Related Link:


October 28, 2004
Source:

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News Release
November 3, 2004
"A new report on provincial and territorial government health spending released today by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) shows continued growth in health care spending from provincial and territorial governments. Today’s report, Preliminary Provincial/Territorial Government Health Expenditure, 1974–1975 to 2004–2005, reveals provincial and territorial governments are expected to spend $83.9 billion in 2004–2005, an increase of 5.1% over the previous year, the lowest growth recorded since 1997–1998. Provincial and territorial government health spending was projected to reach $74.0 billion in 2002–2003 and $79.8 billion in 2003–2004, reflecting annual growth rates of 7.0% and 7.9% respectively. After removing the effects of inflation, health care expenditures in constant 1997 dollars are projected to reach $72.6 billion in 2004–2005, reflecting a real growth rate of 2.9%."
- incl. links to info about : Proportion of Provincial GDP | Per Capita Spending | Proportion of Governments’ Programs | Category of Service | About NHEX | About CIHI | Charts and Tables | Report | Contact


(Registration required, but you don't need to give your e-mail address if you value your privacy)

 (no links, just the table of contents)

Source:

Also from CIHI:

News Release
October 29, 2004
"New data available today from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) show that inpatient hospitalizations declined by 14.4% between 1995–1996 and 2002–2003, and by 1.7% between 2001–2002 and 2002–2003. Overall, there were 2,770,128 inpatient hospitalizations in Canada in 2002–2003, down from 3,235,313 in 1995–1996. The age-adjusted inpatient hospitalization rate (per 100,000 population) reflects this trend, declining by 22.3% since 1995–1996 and by 3.3% between 2001–2002 and 2002–2003. While most provinces and territories reported a decrease in inpatient hospitalizations between 2001–2002 and 2002–2003, increases were observed in Alberta (2.0%) and the Yukon Territory (6.5%). The largest decreases in inpatient hospitalizations between 2001–2002 and 2002–2003 were reported by the Northwest Territories (8.0%) and New Brunswick (4.9%)."
- incl. in this release: Same-Day Surgery | Length of Stay | Hospitalizations | About CIHI | Charts/Tables | Contact

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November 4, 2004
"Privatization within Canada’s health care system has grown relentlessly since January of 2003, when former Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, Provincial Premiers and Territorial Leaders signed the 2003 First Ministers’ Accord on Health Care Renewal. Our political leaders, through this Accord, sought to assure Canadians that they were working “in partnership” to preserve, enhance and sustain our public health care system. But nowhere in their “commitment to Canadians” did our leaders commit to public delivery of health care."

(PDF file - 599K, 42 pages)

Source:

Also from CUPE:


October 19, 2004
- this online database tracks more than 500 incidents, past and present, of privatization, contracting out, and public-private partnership.You can view incidents by province, by town, by sector, by local number or by keyword.

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October 28, 2004
Source:

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News Release

News Release
October 26, 2004
"Ottawa --- Prime Minister Paul Martin today announced a new framework that, subject to approval by Parliament, will increase the support provided to provinces and territories under the Equalization and Territorial Financing Formula (TFF) programs by $33 billion over ten years.The increased funding will assist Canada’s less prosperous provinces and the three territories in meeting their commitments under the Ten-Year Plan to Strengthen Health Care as well as their other priorities."
Source:

 

NOTE: A meeting of Premiers was held in Ottawa on October 25, 2004.
- October 23 (small PDF file, 2 pages)

Google.ca News Search Results: ""
Google.ca Web Search Results: ""
Source:

See also the Canada Assistance Plan / Canada Health and Social Transfer / Canada Social Transfer Resources page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/cap.htm

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On the subject of Fiscal Imbalance...


- federal, provincial-territorial and local government balance sheets (assets and liabilities)
- eight links (as at 11/04), each table includes stats for five years (starting in 1997 or 1998, depending on the table)


- incl. government transfer payments to persons, Consolidated government, revenue and expenditures, Federal non-autonomous pension plans, revenue and expenditures, provincial and local government, revenue and expenditures, Reconciliation of provincial and territorial government revenue and expenditures from budgetary documents to Statistics Canada's Financial Management System, Universities and colleges, revenue and expenditures, Health and social service institutions, revenue and expenditures, Local government, revenue and expenditures, School boards revenue and expenditures, and more...
- 25 links (as at 11/04), most tables include stats for five years (starting in 1997 or 1998, depending on the table)

Source:

[ ]
[ ]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

- from cric.ca
- large collection of info organized under the following headings : Federalism * Federal systems * Federalism in Canada * Intergovernmental relations * Divisions of power * Fiscal federalism * Federalism in the world * Opinion Canada series profiling major federated democracies * Documents
Source:



News Release
Toronto - May 13, 2006
"Federal, Provincial and Territorial Ministers of Health have agreed to step up their efforts to strengthen public health capacity in preparing for an influenza pandemic and other public health threats."
- includes two backgrounders : Canadian Pandemic Influenza Plan and Antivirals
Source:

Annual Conference of Federal-Provincial-Territorial Ministers of Health
Toronto, Ontario
October 22-23, 2005

"At their annual meeting this weekend Canada's Federal, Provincial and Territorial Ministers of Health reaffirmed their commitment to the implementation of the 10-Year Plan to Strengthen Health Care, signed last year by all First Ministers."

"Canada’s National and International Collaboration on Pandemic Influenza Planning"

October 17, 2004
" In their first opportunity to gather after the recent First Ministers' Meeting (FMM), Canada' s federal, provincial and territorial Ministers of Health have begun to work out the details behind the First Ministers' 10-Year Plan to Strengthen Health Care. 'I am pleased with the progress which has been made at this Vancouver meeting,'said BC Health Services Minister and co-chair Colin Hansen. 'The commitment and active participation of all Health Ministers has added to the momentum begun by First Ministers in September.'"
- incl. Next Steps in Implementing the 10-Year Plan
Source:

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(PDF file - 41K, 12 pages)
September 16, 2004
Source:

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Health Care Renewal

September 2004
- incl. links to :
- News Releases, Backgrounders, Speeches, Interactive, Transcripts
- News Releases, Fact Sheets, Other Related Information
- the Romanow Commission, incl. the final report (Nov/02), all discussion papers and summary reports by the Commission
[NOTE: the page alone is worth a visit just to see the excellent collection of health research info!]

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September 12, 2004
- incl.
Source:

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From the :


September 21, 2004
"(...) Additional federal transfers will ensure a greater federal role in funding provincial and territorial health expenditures and will facilitate the expansion of some health services, but the lack of political will on the First Ministers part to establish conditions and accountability means that health care in Canada is still open to private, for-profit delivery and the threat of two-tier health care remains real."


- incl. links to over half a dozen commentaries released during the course of the federal-provincial-territorial meetings, including:
Health care ‘fix’ or corporate tricks?
Urgent: push the PM on public health care
Social strife ahead if first ministers don't defend public health care
Aboriginal health care funding and training a start - CUPE
Innovative health care reform now – not privatization - Strong communities depend on it!
Ontario Council of Hospital Unions slams Fraser report aimed at dividing hospital staff and increasing privatization
CUPE leadership watching first ministers’ health care meeting

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From the :

September 16, 2004

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Annual Conference of Federal-Provincial-Territorial Ministers of Health
Halifax, Nova Scotia

September 4, 2003
"HALIFAX - The federal, provincial and territorial Ministers of Health agreed today to continue to make public health a top priority by improving public health infrastructure and increasing institutional, provincial, territorial and federal capacity that builds on current strengths and successes across the country."
Reports (PDF files):

2003 First Ministers' Accord on Health Care Renewal
The Future of Health Care in Canada

February 5, 2003
Health Canada


- incl. links to : About the Agency - Media Room - Chronic Diseases - Emergency Preparedness - Health Promotion - Immunization - Infectious Diseases - Injury Prevention - Surveillance - Travel - Health - Quick Links - Centres and Labs - Publications - Guidelines - A-Z Index - Child Health - Adult Health - Seniors' Health - Surveillance - Health Canada


September 24, 2004
News Release
"Prime Minister Paul Martin has launched the Public Health Agency of Canada and has announced the appointment of Dr. David Butler-Jones as Chief Public Health Officer. The Agency will be responsible for public health, including emergency preparedness and response, infectious and chronic disease prevention and control, injury prevention and health promotion."


Health Canada
"On February 5, 2003, Canada's First Ministers agreed to a new health plan to improve access to quality care for all Canadians. The Government of Canada will provide $34.8 billion over five years..."
- incl. links to : Health Accord 2003 - News Release - Fact Sheets - Other Related Information


Health Care Renewal Accord Backgrounder
February 5, 2003
"Total increases to the CHST, including scheduled increases and the extension to 2007-08, will be $9.5 billion over the next five years. In addition, the federal government will add an immediate infusion of $2.5 billion for health to be drawn by the provinces as they require. This means that transfers available for health will increase by $12 billion over the next 5 years. To increase accountability and transparency, the federal government commits to create a separate Canada Health Transfer (CHT) within the year which will include the notional health component of the CHST and will provide predictable annual increases in 2008 and beyond." [bolding added]



"The task before us is to draw upon the ingenuity of all Canadians to ensure . . . that our health system meets the challenges of the 21st century."
[Roy Romanow ]

Building on Values: The Future of Health Care in Canada
Final Report of the Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada
November 28, 2002
 (PDF file - 2.4MB, 357 pages)

- links to all 40 research and discussion papers covering a range of health topics, plus Key Public Opinion Documents
- also incl. links to : Submissions to the Commission - International Roundtables - Canadian Reports - pan-Canadian health care research groups - International Resources - Provincial/Territorial Health Department Resources - U.S. Resources - and much more...


[ ]
Official website of the Premiers' Council of the Federation
"On December 5, 2003, Canada’s Premiers proudly announced in Charlottetown the creation of the Council of the Federation. It is a new institution for a new era in collaborative intergovernmental relations. The Council of the Federation was created by Premiers because they believe it is important for provinces and territories to play a leadership role in revitalizing the Canadian federation and building a more constructive and cooperative federal system.The Council of the Federation’s objectives are to:
* Promote interprovincial-territorial cooperation and closer ties between members of the Council, to ultimately strengthen Canada;
* Foster meaningful relations between governments based on respect for the Constitution and recognition of the diversity within the federation;
* Show leadership on issues important to all Canadians."
- incl. links to : About the Council - Meetings - Key Initiatives and Workplan - Newsroom - Contact Us - Useful Links


"In January 2002, the Premiers of all the Canadian provinces and territories agreed to launch a jointly funded Premiers' Council on Canadian Health Awareness to improve Canadians access to information and enhance public awareness of the challenges of and solutions for the future of health care in each jurisdiction. The Premiers' Council has a mandate, budget and full time staff to gather and disseminate information to Canadians on issues such as health care funding, health services innovation and best practices, human resource planning and management, drug effectiveness and assessment, and statistical comparisons provided by provinces and territories."
- incl. links to : About the PCCHA - Communicating with Canadians - [Health] Funding Facts - Improving Health Care - Working Together - Newsroom

NOTE: As at October 28/04, the Premiers' Council on Canadian Health Awareness link refers visitors to the Council of the Federation website.
However, the links below still work...

NOTE: The of this sub-site is where you'll find some of specific provincial-territorial views on how much the federal government is contributing (16% of the total cost), and how much it should be contributing ("a fair share"), towards the cost of insured health care in Canada.


OTTAWA, March 8, 2004 - Premiers of all 13 provinces and territories launched a national advertising campaign today to inform Canadians about health care challenges and the need for increased federal funding for health care.
Source:

(PDF file - 9K, 1 page)
Press Release
"Ottawa, March 8, 2004 — The Treasurer of Prince Edward Island, Mr. Mitch Murphy, the Québec Finance Minister, Mr. Yves Séguin, the Manitoba Finance Minister, Mr. Greg Selinger and the New Brunswick Finance Minister, Mr. Jeannot Volpé, on behalf of all Provincial and Territorial Ministers of Finance, released today a new study of the Conference Board of Canada that confirms the existence of fiscal imbalance in Canada. The study clearly underlines the fact that widening fiscal prospects between Federal and Provincial-Territorial governments will dampen Provinces’ and Territories’ efforts to balance their budgets now and moving forward."

Complete report:

(PDF file - 526K, 61 pages)
"In December 2003, the provinces and territories asked The Conference Board of Canada to update the July 2002 study, Fiscal Prospects for the Federal and Provincial/Territorial Governments [see the link below]. The purpose of this study is to project the federal Public Accounts and the aggregate provincial/territorial government Public Accounts over the long term, with a particular emphasis on determining the impact of demographic changes on the cost of public health care and education spending to 2019/20. The results are presented in the tables included in this updated study."

Related Links:

(PDF file - 292K, 57 pages)
July 2002

(from the )



Chair: The Honourable Michael J.L. Kirby
Deputy Chair: The Honourable Marjory LeBreton
October 2002

News Release
October 25, 2002
"Canadians need to contribute an additional $5 billion per year to health care in order to make the publicly funded system financially sustainable and avert the emergence of a parallel private health care system. The decision facing Canadians is whether they are prepared to make that investment in order to overhaul Medicare."

(on the release of Volume Six)

- Table of Contents and Part One, plus links to the rest of the report
(HTML - 186K, 29 pages)
- PDF file - 1169K, 392 pages

 (HTML - 240K, 43 pages)
(PDF version - 158K, 54 pages)

Source:

(37th Parliament, 2nd Session)
- incl. links to volumes one to five in this series (from 37th Parliament, 1st Session)

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"Increasingly, in Canada, public-private partnerships (P3s) are being touted as an innovative method for governments to provide public infrastructure such as hospitals. Faced with tight budgets, some governments are hailing P3s as the salvation of public infrastructure. P3Watch is an independent, non-profit, grassroots information resource for people and organizations concerned about the growing threat of P3s to Canada’s public medicare system."
- coalition of individuals, public health care advocacy groups, unions, social justice groups, and other community organizations
- incl. News (on the home page) - Campaigns - Privateers - Research - Resources - Links - About us - Search

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From the :

“Innovation” Exposed:
An Ongoing Inventory of Major Privatization Initiatives in Canada's Health Care System

Updated July 28, 2004
"Private, for-profit health care has proliferated since the First Ministers’ Accord on Health Care was signed in January 2003. This inventory lists many of those initiatives including public private partnerships, evidence of two-tier access to services, private for-profit clinics and other threats to sustainable, equitable public health care.
The inventory, in this version, distinguishes three major forms of privatization:
- private, for-profit hospitals (often P3s);
- private facilities and services (clinics, for example); and
- contracting out.
- 219K, 39 pages
(149K, 39 pages)


Updated April 2004
"Private, for-profit health care has proliferated, since the First Ministers’ Accord on Health Care was signed in January 2003. This inventory lists many of those initiatives including public private partnerships, evidence of two-tier access to services, private for-profit clinics and other threats to sustainable, equitable public health care

(PDF file - 475K, 30 pages)

Related CUPE Links:


May 6, 2004
"Ottawa --- In the midst of the swirling controversy about the Liberals’ commitment to public delivery of health care, the federal government is trying to block a court case that would put their failure to enforce the Canada Health Act (CHA) under legal scrutiny."


April 6, 2004
- outlines CUPE concerns about the federal/provincial equalization program as well as the Canada Health Transfer and the Canada Social Transfer.
- incl. sections on: Fiscal imbalance - the need to reform the Equalization formula in a fundamental way - the Canada Health Transfer - the Canada Social Transfer.
Source:

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May 8, 2004
"SAGUENAY -- Prime Minister Paul Martin defended his family doctor's right to operate private clinics where patients who pay the price gain quick access to certain medical tests. He said yesterday he has never received any health-care services at his doctor's Montreal clinic that were not available to the general public."
Source:

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May 8, 2004
"OTTAWA—Federal Liberal plans for an election campaign focused mainly on health care suffered a setback after Prime Minister Paul Martin's personal physician was dragged into the political fray. Martin was forced to acknowledge yesterday that he goes to a Montreal doctor who founded a series of private, for-profit clinics — Medisys Health Group Inc*., which bills itself as "one of Canada's leading national providers of health care services to corporations and insurance companies."
Source:

* - "Corporate Healthcare in Canada"

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Gregory P. Marchildon
April 2004
This paper argues that Canadians are at a crossroads in terms of the future of medicare. Critical directional decisions will be made at the First Ministers Meeting in a few months. Ottawa must decide its role before it negotiates with the provinces the future of a policy that is an integral part of the country’s identity.
- (PDF file - 88K, 20 pages)
Source:

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March 18, 2004
"Medicare is increasingly under attack by social and economic elites. An unprecedented threat is The Chaoulli case that will be heard by the Supreme Court of Canada on June 8, 2004, alleging Medicare is unconstitutional. Joining the case to ask the Supreme Court to open the door to a full-fledged private health insurance system in Canada is a group of 10 senators, led by Senator Michael Kirby and a group of for-profit health corporations. The plaintiffs in the case are Jacques Chaoulli, a doctor, and George Zeliotis. They alleged that the lack of timely access to provincially insured health care services, coupled with legislative restrictions on access to private care, amounted to a violation of section 7 of the Charter. This argument was rejected in two lower courts in Quebec."
Source:

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News Release
March 19, 2004
"Canadians have made it clear – they see greater accountability as essential to health reform. And the First Ministers made accountability a key thrust of their new Accord on Health Care Renewal, a year ago. Governments across Canada are taking steps to deliver on that commitment. Yet, despite all the talk and the evident goodwill, we are still far from having a truly accountable health care system.
The first of the Health Care Accountability Papers, a new series of reports from CPRN’s Health Network, points to some of the reasons. Rhetoric, Fallacy or Dream? Accountability to Citizens in Canadian Health Care, by Cathy Fooks and Lisa Maslove, finds confusion over the meaning of “accountability”, and a failure to think through its application to the relationships within the health care system."
- Click on "Download" to read the news release (small PDF file, 2 pages)


- Click on "Download" to read the complete report in PDF format - 1.6MB, 54 pages


- Click on "Download" to read the report summary in PDF format - 529K, 3 pages)

Source:

Also from CPRN:

- Summer 2004 Issue
"The Summer edition of our quarterly newsletter NetworkNews, looks at the legal routes to achieving accountability in health care, along with recent cases and their consequences, part of the Health Network's Health Care Accountability Papers."
(PDF file - 472K, 12 pages)
[Click "Download" to open the PDF file]


Provincial Government Health Ministries
 - - - - - - - - - - - -


Health Care - A System Under Strain
Over 400 links to information about the state of health care in Canada organized under 14 headings
Source :

(CBC)
On March 4, 2002, a Big Picture special called "Curing Health Care" examined a number of issues such as primary care nurse, the lack of doctors in rural areas and how medical practitioners are using new technology that not only promises to save lives, but time and money too. On this site, you'll find reports from the full day of coverage as well as a message board, in-depth coverage on various topics from CBC News Online and links to related external Web sites.

(CBC) - March 7, 2002
Source :


Source:

(400,000+ results)

Two Excellent multimedia presentations* from CBC Archives!


"Tommy Douglas was the most influential politician never to be elected Prime Minister. He pursued his radical ideas relentlessly until they became so mainstream rival politicians claimed them as their own. Called a communist and threatened by in-party fighting, Douglas battled hard to bring the New Democratic Party to legitimacy in its first ten years. He was often criticized for his singular idealism but through it all Douglas was undeterred, convinced that he was helping to create a better, more humane society."
- incl. : A new brand of Canadian social democracy - From minister to MP: T.C. Douglas enters the political fray - CCF Victory in Saskatchewan - The story of Mouseland: A political allegory - New leader for a new party - Poverty, swingers, and hoopla - Douglas steps down - Tommy Douglas, Canadian funny-man - Tommy Douglas remembered - Evaluating Douglas - Fighting for Medicare


"Since its establishment in 1967, Canada's Medicare system has earned the envy of the international community. Many Canadians see free public health care as the hallmark of what Pierre Elliott Trudeau called 'The Just Society.' Yet, as the Medicare debate has proven, it's a system that is not without its flaws or opponents."
- incl. links to the following audio and video files : Tommy Douglas, Canada's Father of Medicare - Canadians ponder the Welfare State - An appeal to Canada's women - The Saskatchewan Doctors Strike - The pros and cons of Medicare - Medicare gets a rough ride in Regina - The strike is over - The Royal Commission on Health Services - Medicare becomes Canadian law - Emmett Hall on Canada's health care system in 1980

*NOTES:
- you should be able to view and listen to these files if you have a reasonably recent computer
- this is streaming audio/video (recorded from radio and TV), which is sometimes blocked on office or university computer networks. If clicking on the files doesn't activate your media player, try opening the files on a non-networked computer (e.g., your home computer).
- this will likely be slower if you use a dial-up connection, but it's well worth it!

Source:
[ ]

New from the :


December 11, 2003
"Roy Romanow, who headed the royal commission on the future of health care, is pleased that the federal government is going ahead with a national health council."


November 26, 2003
"An open letter to Paul Martin and provincial and territorial leaders"


November 26, 2003
"NUPGE appeals to Paul Martin to honour Canada's Medicare dream"

(PDF file - 141K, 2 pages)

(PDF file - 429K, 65 pages)
The National Coordinating Group on Health Care Reform and Women
January 2003 - Updated to April 2003
"Prepared by the National Coordinating Group on Health Care Reform and Women. Offers a chapter-by-chapter gendered analysis of the Final Report of the Royal Commission on the Future of Health Care, Building on Values: The Future of Health Care in Canada (Romanow 2002). Argues that the Report fails to recognize the significant ways in which health care is an issue for women, particularly for those women providing unpaid personal care and those receiving care.(...) Just as Canada should be a leader in seeing health as a human right, it should also be a leader in promoting gender equality in Canada and globally. Unless this is understood, planning for care is bound to fail in its objectives."
Source :
Related Links:

[]
- sample issue online (May 2003)
-


Odette Madore
Economics Division
Revised 16 June 2003
"This document gives an overview of the Canada Health Act. It does not set out to offer a legal interpretation of the Act; rather, it seeks to take stock of the evolution of the way it is implemented and examine its future prospects. The first section reviews the justifications for government intervention in the health care sector, while the second describes the respective roles of the federal government and the provinces. The third section traces the historical background of the Act, and the fourth presents an overview of the requirements attached to it. In the fifth section, penalties for defaults under the Act are described, and in the sixth and final section, some options are set out for maintaining the Act or improving it."
Source : (Library of Parliament)

(PDF file - 140K, 19 pages)
Claude E. Forget
February 2003
C.D. Howe Institute Commentary
"The Romanow and Kirby reports on the Canadian health-care system fail to provide a basis for lasting reform. In fact, the reports and their findings are destined for the overflowing dustbin of the history of health-care studies in Canada. Fortunately, that does not mean that we have to throw our cherished health-care system itself on the rubbish heap. It does mean that any reconstructive program has to be based on realistic expectations and real-world realities."
Source :

From the :
"Canada's premier public policy magazine"

(Policy Options)
Includes the following five analyses of the Romanow report:
(Click on the link above, then scroll down to the article of your choice on that page)
- "Romanow-A Defence of Public Health Care, But is There a Map for the Road Ahead?" by Antonia Maioni
- "Le défi de la santé dans un contexte électoral : redonner aux Québécois unsystème public de santé à la hauteur de leurs attentes" by Jean Charest
- "L' « épineuse » question d'André Burelle et le rapport Romanow" by John Richards
- "He Said, She Said: The Debate on Vertical Fiscal Imbalance and Federal Health-Care Funding" by France St-Hilaire and Harvey Lazar
- "Health Care as a Commodity" by Joseph Heath

Fiscal Dispute among Governments in Canada Is Damaging to the Cause of Health Care Reform
"On January 27, the IRPP and the Institute of Intergovernmental Relations released Money, Politics and Health Care: Reconstructing the Federal-Provincial Partnership, edited by Harvey Lazar and France St-Hilaire. The contributors to the volume maintain that continual federal-provincial squabbling over health care funding has hampered the process of reform needed to ensure the quality and sustainability of health care for future generations. Moreover, this inability to address the real problems in the system has in itself become detrimental to the proper functioning of the federation."
(small PDF file) - January 27, 2004
Report:
Money, Politics and Health Care: Reconstructing the Federal-Provincial Partnership

(PDF file - 625K, 54 pages)
Source:

(Policy Options) (PDF file - 44K, 5 pages)
An interview with Michael Kirby

From the :

Statement by Roy Romanow Regarding the 2003 First Ministers' Accord on Health Care Renewal
February 6, 2003
|
[small PDF files]

First Ministers' Accord on Health Care Renewal (full text)
February 5, 2003
|
[small PDF files]

- links to analysis of the health care accord by 8 groups, from the Canadian Health Coalition to the Council of Canadians and the BC Nurses Union.

[small PDF file]
- six full-text articles from the Toronto Star and the Globe and Mail analysing the accord


"We want our tax dollars spent on public health care for patients, not for private profits


"The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) supports the overall directions set out in the Romanow Commission's Final Report. We are pleased that the Commissioner has reaffirmed and expanded upon the five principles of the Canada Health Act and has recommended that they apply to more than acute care institutions and physicians."

- by Matt Borsellino (Medical Post)
" 'To govern means to choose,' Roy Romanow told a specially convened gathering of editors and broadcasters from Rogers Media the day after releasing the final report of the Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada. Yet choosing from its 47 recommendations - and undoubtedly the numerous variations that will emerge - is likely to go on for years. Federal legislators will not only need to prioritize the contents of Romanow's $15-million, 356-page report, they'll also have to put them in the context of the $300,000, 381-page final report of the Senate standing committee on social affairs, science and technology led by Michael Kirby released in late October."


"The Canadian Institute for Health Information reported today that annual health expenditures are expected to reach $112.2 billion in 2002. This represents an increase of 6.3% over the previous year, down from the rates of growth recorded in %) and %)."

NOTE: I found the above three links in the issue of the - an excellent monthly collection of links to Canadian and American sites about disability from the


December 2002
Remarks to the Canadian Club of Toronto and to the Halifax Chamber of Commerce
by Senator Michael Kirby
"The national health care debate has now been joined. This debate will come to a head at the First Ministers’ meeting in late January."


Updated to December 31, 2002
Full text of reactions to the Romanow Report from the websites of dozens of non-governmental organizations and unions, from the Canadian Council on Social Development to Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) and the Ontario New Democratic Party --- and the Ontario Premier and Health Minister too.
Source :

(PDF file - 765K , 35 pages)
November 15, 2002
Federal-Provincial Relations and Health Care: Reconstructing the Partnership
by The Institute of Intergovernmental Relations
School of Policy Studies
Queen’s University
November 2002


August 20, 2002
"The provincial and territorial Ministers of Finance commissioned the Conference Board of Canada to produce 20-year fiscal projections for the federal government and the aggregate of the provinces and territories. The resulting report shows large and growing federal surpluses over the next two decades while the provincial-territorial sector records small deficits. The report thus concludes that a vertical fiscal imbalance exists in Canada. (...) Interestingly, the new report’s methodology and results are inconsistent with a previous Conference Board report - published in October 2001 - that projected that the provinces would record surpluses over the next 20 years under reasonable assumptions."
Source :

Related Links:

(July 2002, PDF file - 299K, 57 pages)
Source :


(News release from the 43rd Annual Premiers' Conference - July 31 to August 2, 2002)


News Release
April 26, 2002
"Provinces and Territories need more federal funding to pay for health care and other public programs, provincial and territorial Finance Ministers told Federal Finance Minister Paul Martin in Corner Brook, Nfld., today."
Related Link :
(PDF file - 110K, 5 pages)


(October 2001, PDF file - 562K, 84 pages)
Source :

(CCPA)

Putting Health First: Canadian Health Care Reform, Trade Treaties and Foreign Policy:
A report by the CCPA to the Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada
October 2002
 (PDF file - 634K, 81 pages) --- []
--- []
(English only)
- includes links to 14 reports plus a similar number of "fast facts" and commentaries on a wide range of health care issues, such as : Health Spending in Ontario - Women's Health and Social Inequality - Addiction in Free Market Society - A National Pharmacare Plan : Combining Efficiency and Equity - Canada, the GATS and the Future of Health Care - Restructuring and Privatization in Ontario Health Care - How Medicare is Undermined by Gaps and Privatization in Community and Continuing Care - The Privatization of Medicare - The Future of Medicare: Recovering the Canada Health Act (by Monique Begin, former federal Liberal Health Minister) - Health and Wealth: How Socio-Economic Factors Affect Our Well-Being - How Corporations Are Taking Over Canada's Health Care System - etc.


September 19, 2002
"Attacks on Medicare are also attacks on the underlying core values of Canadians--values such as fairness, compassion, equality of opportunity, and social solidarity--and so a defence of Medicare is essential to protect the values that we Canadians see as defining who we are. Our support for an accessible public health care system is the one bond we have that transcends geography, ethnicity, language, gender, race and class."
(PDF file - 129K, 15 pages)


 December 2001/January 2002
"...the most immediate threat to Medicare's future is neither new technology nor old Canadians, but the process former U.S. Labour Secretary Robert Reich calls "the secession of the successful."
Source :


November 19, 2001
By Paul Leduc Browne
"...as a country we have been spending less on health care for the past decade than we did in 1991/1992! Talk about health care spending soaring out of control. The only thing out of control is the rhetoric and arithmetic of some of our politicians."

(PDF file - 222K, 24 pages)
January 2001
(PDF file - 190K, 4 pages) - see page 4 for "A Brief History of Canada's Health Care System" ()



by Darren Puscas
September 2002
"How for-profit health corporations are planning to cash-in on the privatization of Medicare in Canada."
Source :


"The first decline in overall government revenues in four decades, combined with a rise in overall spending, resulted in significant shifts in the distribution of deficits and surpluses in the fiscal year 2001/02, according to new consolidated estimates of government finances. (...) Health, social services and education drive expenditure increases..."
Source : (Monday, June 24, 2002)
NOTE : "Consolidated government is the general term used to describe the consolidation of the federal government, the provincial and territorial governments, local governments and the Canada and Quebec pension plans."

(PDF file - 114K, 35 pages)
Michael Mendelson and Pamela Divinsky
July 2002
"This report describes four scenarios for future global economic and political structures – called Global Club, Shared Governance, Cyberwave and Regional Dominators – and looks at the future of health and health care in Canada within each of these scenarios. The report is part of the ‘Future of Global and Regional Integration’ project, sponsored by the Institute of Intergovernmental Relations at Queen’s University, where the scenarios originally were developed. The report is meant to speculate not so much on what will be, as what could be, in an effort to stimulate consideration of our health system’s relationship to global futures."
Source :


June 2002
Source : (NSACSW)


"The Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) is an independent, national, not-for-profit organization working to improve the health of Canadians and the health care system by providing quality, reliable and timely health information. CIHI's mandate was established jointly by federal and provincial/territorial ministers of health to coordinate the development and maintenance of a comprehensive and integrated approach to health information for Canada, and to provide and coordinate the provision of accurate and timely data and information required for establishing sound health policy, effectively managing the Canadian health system, and generating public awareness about factors affecting good health."
See the of this enormous site for an overview of its content incl. links to research & reports, the CIHI Data Collection, standards, statistics and client services.


June 2004
"This year's report is divided into two sections:
* Part A: Focus on Safe Care This first part of the report includes information on what safe care is, as well as what we know and don't know about patient safety in Canada and worldwide.
* Part B: Our Health Care System: Resources and the Patient Experience This includes information on health human resources, experiencing care, wait times, and the cost of providing health care in Canada."
--- ---
- also includes links to the complete report and to individual chapters

(PDF file - 2.1MB, 135 pages)

Media Release
June 9, 2004—A new report released today by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) shows that nearly a quarter of Canadian adults (5.2 million people) report that they, or a member of their family, have experienced a preventable adverse event. The report Health Care in Canada 2004 is CIHI’s fifth annual publication on the state of the health care system.

Source:



June 2004
"Drug expenditure data in this report are from the National Health Expenditure Database (NHEX), transferred from Health Canada to the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) in 1995. The "Drugs" category in NHEX is intended to measure final consumption, outside an institutional setting, of drugs4 purchased by consumers, or third party payers on their behalf, generally from retail outlets."


Media Release
June 22, 2004
"A new report released today by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) shows that 47.2% of the estimated $16.0 billion spent on prescribed drugs in Canada was financed by the public sector in 2003. Five years ago, in 1998, the public sector share of prescribed drugs was 42.5%."


NOTE: the complete report is a 148-page,1.05MB file.
To download the report, you must submit your e-mail address (in case there are any subsequent errata sheets to distribute).

Source:

----------------------------------------------------------

Related Links:

(PDF file - 3.6MB, 56 pages)
[ - 3,8Mo.]
August 2002

Source:

"In August 2002, the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association published Protection from Severe Drug Expenses, a study carried out by Fraser Group and Tristat Resources (Richard Shillington). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the extent to which Canadians are protected by their public and private sector drug programs from severe drug expense. This research was presented to the Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology and was cited extensively in their final report on the The Health of Canadians - The Federal Role
[ ]
"Fraser Group's business is research, analysis and marketing information for financial service organizations. Our area of greatest expertise is the employee benefits sector including the group life and health and the group pension and retirement markets.")

Related Link from the Fraser Group:

Canadians' Access to Insurance for Prescription Medicines
(81 kb) - [ ]
(2633 kb)
(1874 kb)
"In March 2000, Health Canada published Canadians' Access to Insurance for Prescription Medicines, the results of a study carried out by Fraser Group in collaboration with two other companies, Applied Management and Tristat Resources. The purpose of this study was to assess the level of drug insurance available to Canadians."

Media Release
November 6, 2002
- incl. links to : Categories | Program Budget & GDP | Provincial | Comparisons | NHEX | Tables/Charts | About CIHI | Contact
"New figures released by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) today show that growth in provincial and territorial government spending on health has slowed. After removing the effects of inflation, real growth in provincial and territorial health expenditures is expected to be 2.5% in 2002/2003, following growth rates of between 5.7% and 7.6% over the last 4 years. (...) Despite the lower growth projected this year, provincial and territorial governments have been investing in health care in real terms at a rate that is, on average, higher than any other five year period since 1975/1976."


Media Release
May 29, 2002
"TORONTO - There are significant regional differences in health and health services across Canada, according to a new report released today by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI)."
- incl. Mortality Rates | Readmission Rates | Better Health Information | Health System Overview | Public Health Programs | Drug Use and Cost | About the Report | Backgrounders | Contact


"This report provides up-to-date information on what we know and don't know about the performance of Canada's health care system. Topics covered in the report include the continuum of care, health expenditures, Canada's health care professionals, and outcomes of care. Included with this report is the Health Indicators insert, providing new data on a range of health and health system-related indicators at both regional and provincial/territorial levels."
The above link takes you to a collection of background papers, highlights, the complete paper and individual chapters, a feedback/comments form, a link where you can subscribe for updates, and more...

(PDF file - 31K, 8 pages)
February 20, 2002 (revised )
The Hon. Monique Bégin, PC, FRSC, OC
(Former federal Minister of Health and Welfare, in office when the CHA was passed)
"I do not believe health care in Canada is in a state of crisis. It is imperfect and it has problems, but it is not in crisis and, on the whole, it has served and is still serving Canadians rather well."
Source : (30th Anniversary Conference)



"The Tommy Douglas Research Institute is an independent non-profit Canadian economic and social research and educational organization. Named after T.C. Douglas, the former Premier of Saskatchewan and acknowledged father of Medicare in Canada, the Institute's main objective is the redirection of public attention to the respective role of both the large business sector and governments in providing for the well-being of Canadians."
- See the large collection of articles about the review of Medicare and submissions to the Romanow Commission

(PDF file - 186K, 31 pages)
May 2002
C.D. Howe Institute Commentary
By Stanley H. Hartt Q.C. and Patrick J. Monahan
"Since the public health care system fails to deliver medically necessary services in a timely manner, provincial laws that effectively bar the private purchase of such services violate section 7 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms."
(PDF file - 42K, 2 pages) - May 14, 202
Source : (scroll down the page and click on the title)
From the

Also in the Health Papers series :
- Funding Public Provision of Private Health: The Case for a Copayment Contribution through the Tax System (May 2002)
- Managing Medicare: The Prerequisite to Spending or Reform (January 2002)
- Integrating Canada’s Dis-Integrated Health Care System (April 2001)
- Will the Baby Boomers Bust the Health Budget? Demographic Change and Health Care Financing Reform (February 2001)
(Go to the , then scroll down that page to find these reports by date)

(PDF file - 35K, 12 pages)
March 19, 2002
"A sustainable health care system starts with an investment in children and youth."
Source :


Medicure
February 2002
"This op ed points out how the loss of the Canada Assistance Plan in 1996 shook the foundation of community supports that help keep people out of hospital and decimated the systems of community care that enable patients to return or remain at home. The lack of community supports has created serious pressures for Canada’s health care system."
(PDF file - 15K, 2 pages)
Source :


A Call to Citizens to Take Action for the Future of Health Care

News Releases from the Provincial-Territorial Premiers' Meeting
Vancouver, British Columbia - January 24-25, 2002
-
-
(PDF file - 947K, 160 pages)
Draft Report
January 2002

Related Links :
- - News release from the August 2001 Premiers' Conference
- (PDF file - 15K, 4 pages) - showing the declining federal support to provincial/territorial health and social programs (from the August 2001 news release).


First Ministers' Meeting
Press Releases
September 2000

From the Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat : 
-
-
-
-

- "This website is designed to provide New Brunswick residents with general information on the main features and benefits of New Brunswick Medicare."

Ontario

- Campaign to Save Medicare


Health Spending in Ontario: Bleeding Our Hospitals - Ontario Alternative Budget Technical Paper #4
News Release
May 6, 2002
"Contrary to much-repeated mythology, health spending in Ontario is not out of control. Nor is it taking a bigger share of the economic and fiscal pie. Health care spending has increased as a share of total government program spending, but only because all non-health care spending has been reduced or flat-lined."
- (PDF file - 645K, 13 pages)
-
Source : Go to the

Federal-Provincial-Territorial Issues : Health Care Costs


June 2000 (complete report - 70 pages, 574K) 
- (6 pages, 27K) 
NOTE: This was a joint provincial territorial initiative, so most provincial and territorial governments issued a similar press release on the same date. You can usually find these releases on the Premier's page or the What's New page of any given jurisdiction. They all point to the same report and summary located on the Ontario Health Ministry website, and they all say pretty much the same thing (with a personal quote from the relevant Premier)...

And now, for something completely different...


Notes for an address by the Honourable Stéphane Dion, President of the Privy Council and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs
Distinguished Speaker Series
Faculty of Law
University of Western Ontario
September 21, 2001

Alberta



New Parkland Institute Report Highlights Strengths of Public Health Care
More Private Financing Will Increase Costs and Hurt Accessibility
 - November 2, 2004
(PDF file - 29K, 5 pages)
Complete Report:
 (2.2MB, 158 pages)
November 2004


News Release
August 28, 2002
Source :
"...the Government of Canada is investing over $54 million in initiatives designed to ensure Albertans have access to high-quality, affordable and sustainable primary health care services."


January 8, 2002
"...a comprehensive package of recommendations designed to put the health system on a sustainable foundation for the future."
- incl. Highlights of the Report
- (PDF, 5 MB, 76 pages)

News Releases (January 8, 2002)
-
-

Related Link:

(PDF file - 2.8 MB, 4 pages) - Govt. of Alberta
"For a good look inside Alberta's health care issues"

: See "Response to the Mazankowski Report": See "Making Medicare Better"

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