Right now, in Canadian politics, one if not the most talked about topics is public health policy. Over the past few years, Covid-19 has shone a spotlight on how fragile the Canadian healthcare system can be, especially for a country that prides itself on the history of its well-developed public health system. In the first few months of 2023, the provincial and federal governments sat down to discuss how to help shape Canadian healthcare in the years to come. In particular, discussions surrounding funding, implementation, and policy changes (such as sharing health data between provinces) were first up on the list. While the discussions helped move the needle forward on bolstering the healthcare sector, it has also created a mess of confusion for many Canadians who might not know the ins and outs of public policy-making in Canada.
For those who have not studied political science, it can often be confusing to try and determine the “who, where, and what” determines health policies in Canada. In response, my project this term is to try and alleviate confusion by creating a few online articles in the form of an “editorial blog” focusing on Ontario — as it has the most controversial new healthcare policy direction. In essence, the articles will progress from topics regarding healthcare funding, to how Ontario’s new plan to privatize even more aspects of healthcare is intertwined with the problems highlighted by covid-19. While attempting to stay close to an editorial-like format, my articles also borrow from blog format. Overall, the articles will combine the relevant information about current events relating to healthcare in Canada, as well as my own opinions to give readers more clarity on what exactly is happening with public health policy in Canada.
Currently, my main focus is on understanding and evaluating Doug Ford’s new private-public healthcare initiative, Healthcare funding (both federal and provincial focusing on Ontario), and the overall “health” of Canada’s healthcare industry.