Liberals are at work today participating in a unique web conference that examines ways of closing the gap in health status to ensure all Canadians are as healthy as they can be by 2017 when Canada celebrates its 150th anniversary.
“Our cherished health care system will only be sustainable if we redouble our efforts to keep Canadians well, living up to our original commitment to Medicare,” said Liberal Health Critic Dr. Carolyn Bennett, who is hosting the event.
“To ensure the sustainability of our health care system, we must work across all government departments, all jurisdictions and in all sectors to address poverty, violence, the environment, shelter, equity and education, all of which impact the health status of Canadians.”
Liberal MPs will be joined by stakeholders at over a dozen sites across Canada, all connected via the internet. The estimated 200 web participants – from Ottawa to Toronto to Vancouver – will hear from experts on health and social policy to examine the best possible indicators to measure progress on the social determinants of health.
The e-summit follows a morning roundtable in Ottawa on Alzheimer’s and dementia, hosted by Liberal Public Health Critic Dr. Kirsty Duncan.
“Today is all about helping each other overcome some of our biggest health challenges,” said Dr. Duncan, who is also participating in the e-summit. “As Liberals, we believe it’s critical to examine what indicators would resonate with Canadians to motivate them to work together on their health, the health of their families, and their communities.”
“Stephen Harper and his government have abdicated their responsibility for health and have refused to act upon most of the commitments in the 2004 Health Accord,” Dr. Duncan concluded. “Liberals believe we need federal leadership to safeguard the health of Canadians.”
Backgrounder: Social determinants of healthThere is a clear and robust relationship between individual income and individual health. The Canadian Institute of Health Information shows that whether it is measured using self-reports of overall health status, infant mortality rates, chronic conditions, activity limitations/disability status or the Health Utility Index, health status is worse for those with lower incomes.
Evidence shows that countries with less inequality and/or less poverty than Canada have better health outcomes and fewer health inequalities.
The health status of groups that are more vulnerable to poverty (e.g. lone mothers, Aboriginal persons, Atlantic Canadians) is consistently worse than that of the general population.
In Canada, more than 1 out of 7 children live in poverty. The situation is even worst for First Nations, with 1 out of 4 children living in poverty.
According to the Canadian Medical Association, in 2008, 21,000 Canadians died from the effects of air pollution. They forecast that by 2031, almost 90,000 people will die annually from the acute effects of air pollution if nothing is done, adding up to a cumulative 710,000 who will die due to long-term exposure to air pollution.
According to the Canadian Center for Policy Alternatives, every dollar invested in early childhood development and care saves between $3 and $9 in future spending on health care, the criminal justice system, and income supports.
These statistics are especially relevant considering that health care costs are skyrocketing. Health care spending is steadily rising. Today, the total cost of health care in Canada accounts for approximately ten percent of Gross Domestic Product, growing from seven percent in 1975.
In 2009, the total amount of health spending was estimated to reach $183.1 Billion, or $5,452 per person, an increase of five percent over 2008 levels.
In the near future, our public health care system will be financed by a shrinking number of working Canadians.
