‘My time to give back’: Meet new Seniors Minister Deb Schulte
Two months after finishing treatment, new Seniors Minister Deb Schulte is entering cabinet for the first time, a journey she says shows that cancer “doesn’t mean everything has to stop” and is part of a “strong message” from a government that has three leaders dealing with the diagnosis. In April, Ms. Schulte was diagnosed with […]
The future of health in Canada is now
It is a reality of political life in Canada that health care, ironically, is the biggest issue for voters, yet rarely generates viral campaign moments. As a group that advocates for Canadian health-care organizations and hospitals, HealthCareCAN found the gap between the level of concern about health care among Canadians and the amount of attention […]
Pharmacare should be No. 1 priority for Trudeau this Parliament, says former Liberal health minister
As the Liberal government continues deliberating over cabinet positions and preparing for a minority government, the NDP has come out with a bold proclamation on its plans and goals for the 43rd Parliament, with pharmacare taking centre stage. Ujjal Dosanjh, a former premier of British Columbia and health minister under Paul Martin’s Liberal government, said […]
Trudeau government gives stronger role to federal intervention in health care
Canada’s “Fathers of Confederation” were men of their time, which is why, among other things, “health” was not seen as a primary responsibility for governments, and certainly not the Dominion (federal) government. This is not surprising, given that at the time, medical care was not particularly effective nor sought after, and health and social matters […]
Value-based health care: time to focus on outcomes, not outputs
Universal pharmacare, or universal public coverage of medications, was highlighted by some parties during the election as a way to lower costs. Indeed, all Canadians should have access to necessary medications. Yet the extent to which universal public coverage of medicines can reduce the financial burden is only speculation at this point. In terms of […]
Health
Ottawa at risk of losing its first-mover advantage in cannabis sector
As the first G7 nation to legalize cannabis, Canadians have embraced this opportunity to innovate and create jobs throughout the cannabis sector, and one year after legalization, academic and industry leaders remain eager to lead in this space. Legalization sparked new research projects, novel production and processing systems, inventive product development, and growth in our […]
Focus on restricting access to weed has hampered crackdown on black market
Any assessment of the federal government’s efforts to create a legal framework for adult-use cannabis—or any public policy—must first be viewed through the lens of said policy’s objectives. In the case of cannabis, the government’s stated objectives were to, above all: protect young Canadians by keeping cannabis out of the hands of children and youth, […]
Research will solidify Canada’s cannabis advantage
Researchers use milestones and anniversaries as opportunities to stop and reflect on their projects, take stock of accomplishments and identify what still needs to be done. So, as we pass the one-year anniversary of the Cannabis Act, let’s stop for a moment and do just that. Initial challenges around policy and regulation, industrial production, and […]
Industry says packaging restrictions for cannabis edibles will make black market battle harder
With cannabis edibles set to soon be available in stores for recreational users, many industry players say packaging restrictions may hamper efforts to displace the edible black market, one of two key goals of the Cannabis Act, while others argue that the restrictions are reasonable and will prevent overconsumption accidents. The final regulations for selling […]
