Canada’s housing crisis is a public health emergency
In emergency rooms and frontline clinics, patients are triaged based on the urgency of their illness. The sickest are seen first, followed by those in less immediate danger.
Why private health insurance coverage in Canada needs a review
Last week, the media carried a story about a nine-year-old boy in New Brunswick who was denied private health coverage because of his weight (at 5 foot 2 inches and 135 pounds). His family were shocked – as were many reading the story – that a child could be denied private health coverage in Canada.
If the federal government is serious about tackling poverty, reining in ‘payday lending’ a good place to start
I met Ben and Sherry when I was facilitating a focus group discussion in Winnipeg with consumers who use payday loans. A payday loan is the borrowing of a small amount of money (up to $1,500) that must be repaid in a short time frame and carries a hefty fee.
Facing some unpleasant truths about opioids
Over the past year I’ve lost track of how many times the opioid epidemic has, in one incarnation or another (Prince, naloxone, fentanyl, newborns in agonizing withdrawal and so on) found its way onto the front page news.
British Columbia’s failed healthcare experiment
Our first point of contact with the health system — often referred to as ‘primary care’ — should result in prompt and efficient care for our general health concerns, and coordinate our journey through the system when we need more specialized care.
Why it’s never too late for low income Canadians to file their taxes
Most Canadians would like to see an end to poverty. What if we told you that one organization, using the existing social benefits system, found a way to get $21 million into the pockets of 9,000 low income individuals in Winnipeg?
Why Manitoba needs to invest in its children
To thrive economically, Manitoba needs young people. Fortunately, our relatively high birth rate — around 1.93 for every 1000 women — combined with favourable immigration trends means that Manitoba’s population will continue to grow.
Canada has more doctors and health specialists than ever – but is that good news?
The recent negotiations between the Ontario Medical Association and the Ontario Government highlight the complex relationship between physicians and health spending.
Can filing taxes be a treatment for poverty? Here’s how doctors are helping their low-income patients
While the link between poverty and poor health outcomes is well established, experts say that many health care providers feel unequipped to intervene. Nancy McPherson, a Population Health Analyst, says that one solution is for health practitioners to diagnose and treat poverty, like any other physical condition. An immediate step is to encourage patients to […]
Early interventions require a new means of social investment
Investing in social programs improves social conditions and, as a consequence, improves people’s lives. That’s fairly obvious. What hasn’t always been as obvious, however, is that such social spending doesn’t tend to come at the cost of economic growth.
