Health minister determined to tackle opioid crisis
The opioid crisis will, sadly, claim the lives of thousands of Canadians this year. This public health crisis will touch every part of the country. I want to address the steps our government is taking to address this issue. In my mandate letter, the prime minister was very clear. As minister of health, I am […]
Lack of mental-health accountability frameworks concerning: NDP critic
There’s a concerning lack of news regarding the accountability frameworks for mental health funding as outlined in last year’s new Health Accord, said an opposition critic and academic, and without adequate oversight and transparency, money could disappear into the provincial health-care funding pot. This means money earmarked to improve wait times for child and youth […]
Pop bad, pot good? Liberals are confused on health
These are confusing times on the health file, with the Liberal government sending mixed messages to Canadians. Its official objective is supposedly to help Canadians live healthier lives. So the first priority for the health minister was to legalize recreational smoking of marijuana, which the Canadian Medial Association says causes a significant increase in schizophrenia […]
Pharmacare for all: we can’t afford to wait
Canadians are justly proud of our public health-care system. It is an accomplishment that helps define us as a nation. However, it is not perfect, and it is not comprehensive. Many important health services remain uncovered, including dental, mental health, rehabilitation, and home care. For these, patients are at the mercy of their ability to pay. One of the most […]
Health
Speaking truth to power serves the greater good
The Abominable “No” Man. That is what a journalist friend called me when I worked as press secretary to the solicitor general in the 1980s, mainly because I was reluctant to provide easy access to journalists when things went wrong; and with responsibility for prisons, the RCMP, and the parole board, a lot could go […]
It’s a tiny Speaker…It’s a bloody man…It’s Superman!
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s hair was a little slicker than usual on Tuesday, as he got into the Halloween spirit. Rogers Communications’ Hill reporter Cormac Mac Sweeney tweeted: “PM Justin Trudeau is dressed as Clark Kent/Superman for Halloween. He flashed the Superman logo on his way into the House. #cdnpoli” […]
From mental health patient to Canada’s 150 ‘difference maker,’ O’Regan’s seen a lot
After years of advocating for better mental health supports, first on CTV’s Canada AM and later as an ambassador for Bell’s Let’s Talk initiative, rookie Veterans Affairs Minister Seamus O’Regan says he never imagined he’d be the one seeking help for his own mental health issues. “I’m the guy who drank a little bit too […]
After reports and consultations, Nunavut residents optimistic for change
Over the past year, I have had the opportunity to meet with constituents in each of the 25 communities in my riding. And although each community is special and unique, several thoughts and concerns voiced by Nunavummiut were similar in all communities. Two issues in particular were heard unanimously: the lack of mental health services […]
Count Dracula and the WHO
LONDON, U.K.—It was a bit like appointing Count Dracula as the goodwill ambassador for the blood donor service. Truth is stranger than fiction, because fiction has to be plausible. Reality is under no such constraint, and regularly produces events that would never be credible in a novel. Like the decision last week to appoint Zimbabwe’s […]
