Discussions

For-profit care is not the right direction for the health of all Canadians

As Canada’s health ministers gathered in Halifax this week to talk about the progress on health care, the average Canadian could be excused for wanting to shrug and turn away. Enter Canada’s registered nurses.

Following the loss of a legislative seat that his party held for more than 20 years, Ontario Conservative leader Tim Hudak needed something and he needed it fast. It had to be big and bold. Hudak, taking inspiration from the RIM launch of the Playbook, rushed out with a promise to eliminate $800 million in what he called wasteful spending on a duplicative healthcare administration. Like the Playbook, the promising parts were lost in the naïve and untested aspects of what was proposed.

‘Science-ish’—a joint project of the Medical Post, Maclean’s, and the McMaster Health Forum—has won the Canadian Medical Association’s 2012 Media Award for Excellence in Digital Health Reporting.