Patients, medical organizations and physicians are speaking out to say health care should not take a backseat in the federal election campaign, a sentiment that grew louder after the issue was not named as a theme for this week’s leaders’ debates.
The French and English debates, set for Wednesday and Thursday, will cover topics that include affordability, the trade war and climate, according to a statement from CBC/Radio-Canada released on Monday.
The Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions, one of several organizations criticizing the decision not to set health as a debate theme, pointed to the nation-wide shortages of nurses and primary care providers as key issues requiring solutions.
“It sends the message that health care doesn’t matter – that it’s not worth debating. That is both unacceptable and dangerous,” the CFNU said in a letter on Monday.
Dr. Keith Smith, president and chief executive officer of the University Health Network, called the decision “tragic” during a panel discussion hosted by The Globe and Mail about health on Tuesday. Canadians need to demand political leaders’ make concrete commitments, and not platitudes, in health care, he said.
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Chuck Thompson, the head of public affairs for CBC, said Tuesday in an e-mail that “healthcare may well surface over the course of the evening,” given the broad spectrum of subjects identified and emphasis placed on open debate.
Canadians often consider health care to be a provincial issue. But physicians say it is a misnomer to say the federal government does not have a role to play in this realm.
Ottawa delivers health care to Indigenous patients, in correctional institutions and for members of the military. It is responsible for drug regulation and vaccine procurement. The federal government is also tasked with enforcing the Canada Health Act, which lays out coverage for health services delivered by physicians and at hospitals.
In the last Parliament, the governing minority Liberals and the New Democrats worked on the creation of the Canadian Dental Care Plan to reduce costs for qualifying patients. The two parties also co-operated to pass legislation to open the door to bilateral agreements with provinces and territories for coverage for diabetes medications and supplies, as well as contraceptives including intrauterine devices, or IUDs.
Prior to the election campaign, pharmacare deals were reached with Manitoba, B.C., Prince Edward Island and Yukon. The rollout timeline in the jurisdictions differs, and pharmacare proponents want clarity that the next government will negotiate agreements with provinces and territories that have yet to do so.
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Maggie Archibald is a 30-year-old living with endometriosis in Nova Scotia, a province that has yet to reach an agreement.
Despite having surgery in early 2023, she continues to struggle with pain and uses an IUD, along with medication to help offset symptoms. She said she is fortunate that her private medical insurance coverage captured about 80 per cent of the cost of the device, which is usually up to $500. Many who do not have access to coverage pay out of pocket and simply can’t afford it.
“I’m eagerly awaiting and hopeful that Nova Scotia and other provinces that haven’t signed on to the pharmacare deal will sign on because it can help so many people who depend on birth control, as well as diabetes medication,” she said.
Joss Reimer, president of the Canadian Medical Association who works in women’s health, said publicly funded medical coverage for contraceptives and diabetes medications and supplies is about keeping Canadians healthy, adding that it offsets costs to the health care system.
The CMA said it is disappointed health was not included as a theme for the debates. The organization has called for political parties to address issues, including Canada’s beleaguered health workforce. A Health Canada report released earlier this year said the country needs tens of thousands of additional health care workers, including nearly 23,000 family physicians.
Dr. Reimer, who participated in The Globe’s panel on Tuesday, said it makes sense the economy and tariffs are a focus in the discussions this week among party leaders and in the campaign overall. But she said the economy and health are deeply interlinked, and cannot be separated from each other.
“We know that we need healthy Canadians to have a healthy economy,” she said.
