What Would Tommy Douglas Say Now?

When famous anthropologist Margaret Mead was asked what she thought
was the first sign of civilization, she is said to have stated that the first
evidence of civilization is a healed femur. Injured animals in the wild are often
killed and eaten but a healed femur meant that someone had put aside their
own needs long enough to care for that injured person, to tend to their wound,
and keep them safe while they healed.

In this context, civilization rests on the expectation that we value and care for
every member of our community including those who are unable to care for
themselves for whatever reason. It is measure of a just society that
collectively we agree to do this.

Fast forward to life as we know it now with billions of people scattered across
the globe in many nation-states. We have a complicated set of rules that
govern our lives and enable us to thrive in a fast paced society that may easily
reward those who are able to survive and overlook those who cannot. Those
who are elderly or who suffer a health related condition or those who are
perceived as “different” are people who we have agreed to assist in whatever
way they need.

In our corner of the world, we have government programs, systems and
services that can, and should, help with this imperative. Or so we thought. But
let’s examine how well that is working.

For many years, since 1984, we have felt the protection of the Canada Health
Act which was designed to ensure that every one of us is entitled to
comprehensive publicly funded health care no matter where we are in the
country. Equal accessibility is one of the hallmarks of Medicare.

How did that come about? Tommy Douglas served as Premier of
Saskatchewan from 1944 to 1961 and moved to federal politics as the leader
of the NDP until 1971. He left office in 1979. Recognized with the Order of
Canada, he is known as the father of Universal Health Care in Canada. Under
his leadership, Saskatchewan introduced the first single payer universal
health care program. In 1984, the federal government adopted the Canada
Health Act. In 2004, based on a nation-wide survey, the CBC named him “The
Greatest Canadian”. He is a Canadian hero.

To this day, when Canadians are surveyed, they mention the Canada Health
Act as a cornerstone of our nation. Under recent bombast and threat from the
United States, Canadians are standing together, resisting annexation and
exploitation by the current US administration. Many of them are quoted as saying

that the Canada Health Act is something that sets us apart and that
they value it above all else. It has become part of our common identity.
We are assailed with stories from the USA, about people struggling to survive
in a health care system based on private profit and competition. Insurance
companies, setting themselves the primary goal of increasing profits, are
calling the shots when people need care as insurance executives stand
between patient and doctor. Medical debt is rampant, and it isn’t unusual to
hear bone-chilling stories of middle class and working class people losing their
homes and all their savings paying for outrageous health care costs. For
years, watching this saga from here in Canada, we have often said, “Thank
God we are not Americans.”

However, in recent years there have been a lot of questions about the
application of the Act here. How many times have local people said, “What
ever happened to the Canada Health Act? Is anyone enforcing it? I thought it
would look after me and my family.”

Bit by bit, like water dripping from a leaky tap, it feels like our protections have
been compromised on the alter of profit. More and more private businesses
are charging patients for medical care, upselling them to receive unnecessary
but profitable procedures and we too are now hearing of people experiencing
significant medical debt. Where does it stop? Federal and provincial
governments appear to look the other way as long term care has become a
profitable heyday for large corporations involved in the American healthcare
industry. Locally, home care has become a political football, changing
constantly and generally not meeting the needs of the community. But private
companies are making the big bucks.

What would Tommy Douglas say if he saw how the Canada Health Act has
been compromised and how much attention powerful health lobbyists are
getting from both levels of government? I am guessing he would be
profoundly disappointed and would encourage us to consider carefully when
voting in politicians who can and will ignore the Act when it suits them and
their friends. Let’s respect and enforce the Act. Let’s look for those who truly
support Medicare and give them the support they need to get the job done.

Brenda J. Scott

Co-Chair: Grey Bruce Health Coalition