Commentary
In every federal election, health care is among the top five concerns of voters. Currently, even with the trade war and cost of living dominating the news, health care still is considered the top issue for 34 percent of people, according to a recent survey. Despite it being a leading federal issue, the administration of health care is a provincial responsibility—and it’s going poorly.
Systemic reform is needed, but is it possible for any province to get it right?
Every province in Canada is grappling with overwhelmed health-care systems and growing waiting times for emergency treatment and specialized procedures. It doesn’t matter if the provincial government is NDP or UCP, the issues are the same. While provinces are tasked with managing the systems, the federal Health Act sets out the rules. It puts premiers in a difficult position. While they get the flack for shortcomings in the system, they are bound through legislation outside of their jurisdiction….