Details on marijuana task force coming, to deal with supply, jurisdiction, retail, taxes
Insiders say the questions a government task force on marijuana legalization must deal with include how and where consumers will purchase it, how much involvement the provinces will have in its regulation, how adequate supply will be created, and what level of taxes should be applied. Multiple sources have confirmed a report that former Liberal […]
The fight to end Canada’s disease: multiple sclerosis
Every day is a fight for Canadians living with multiple sclerosis—an unpredictable, often disabling, disease of the central nervous system. It’s a fight no one wants to have, but one many Canadians must deal with. Why? Because Canada has the highest rate of MS in the world. As Canadians, we have a risk two times […]
On the right to assisted death: Go carefully into that good night
On a May afternoon in 1995 I was sitting with my father in the living room of his apartment in Montreal, when my sister called in tears to say my mother had died. A few days earlier, he had decided not to take any extraordinary means to save her, as the stroke she suffered two […]
Without C-14 on the books, Canada will have the most open death hastening culture in the world
Within days of Bill C-14 being tabled, I knew the road ahead would be long. Responses to the draft legislation on Medical Aid In Dying (MAID) spanned from assertions that it was an affront to the Supreme Court’s Carter decision, to allegations it amounted to legalized murder. In the weeks that followed, some criticized the […]
Home care, long-term facilities need more attention as population ages: experts
As a increasing number of Canadians start to use home care and enter long-term care facilities, some say that the federal and provincial governments should review investments in these elements of the health-care system and perhaps do more. “Although aging of the population only puts a gradual pressure on many components of our health-care sector, it […]
Palliative care must be an integral part of any legislation on assisted dying
OTTAWA—In 1967, then justice minister Pierre Trudeau’s declaration that “there’s no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation” shocked many Canadians who feared the impact of legalizing “taboo” practices. The legislation, Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1968-69), overturned prohibitions against birth control and abortion, homosexuality (between consenting adults aged 21 or older), and […]
Imagine if Canada provided world-class home care for all Canadians in need
As Canadians, we rightly take pride in our single-payer medicare model, which provides universal medical and hospital coverage to all residents based on need only, and not ability to pay. Nevertheless, as the health-care needs of our population evolve, so too should the structure of our health care system. Recently, I rose in the House of Commons […]
Value is as important as cost of medicines
Everyone can agree that when Canadians are in good physical and mental health, they are able to be more productive, contribute to our society and our economy, and most importantly, live healthier, happier lives. And, most would agree that access to medicines is a key element in achieving optimal health for Canadians. We recognize that […]
Public coverage of drug costs reconsidered as population ages
Canadian governments are expected to adjust how pharmaceuticals are covered by the public purse as society continues to age and financial stressors continue to grow in the systems. Provincial governments provide drug cost coverage in different ways across the country, and while one model may not fit all provinces because of the differing demographics, provinces may […]
‘One of best outcomes’ of Bill C-14 is push for government to deliver on palliative care: Philpott
Health Minister Jane Philpott says “one of the best outcomes” of Parliament’s study and debate over the government’s hotly contested physician-assisted dying bill is how it’s “spurring” parliamentarians to make sure the government acts on creating better access to palliative care in Canada. Testifying during the four-hour the Senate committee-of-the-whole meeting last Wednesday, Ms. Philpott […]
