Health care is a critical part of any country’s domestic policy. For Canada, this is especially the case. Many Canadians take pride in the Medicare program, which focuses on giving Canadians equitable health care (Redden, 2002). In fact, many would argue that the Canadian health care (and its superiority to the United States) are a pillar of “Canadian identity” (Redden, 2002, 103). Despite the health care system being an integral part of the identity of Canadian citizens, the system has serious flaws (Redden, 2002). One of these flaws is the discrepancy between certain groups in accessing health services (for the purposes of this paper this includes access to family doctors, specialists, and emergency care). Though there are no official means
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The act itself shows considerable pride in the system, indicating that doctors “have made outstanding progress in treating sickness” (Canada Health Act, 2012, 1). The act places a significant emphasis on equality regarding to “continued access to quality health care without financial or other barriers” (Canada Health Act, 2012, 1). The main principle of the act has a heavy emphasis on ensuring equality to access for all Canadian citizens, as well as trying to engage in as much preventive medicine (Canada Health Act, 2012). These principles are explained, when it is noted in the Canada Health Act that: “It is hereby declared that the primary objective of Canadian health care policy is to protect, promote and restore the physical and mental well-being of residents of Canada and to facilitate reasonable access to health services without financial or other barriers” (Canada Health Act, 2012, 5). The quote just mentioned from the Canada Health Act (2012) is also interesting, as it also emphasizes the importance of, and the need to have equal access for, mental health care (which is one area that seemingly promotes inequality through high treatment costs) (Canada Health Act, 2012; Mulvale and Bourgeault, …show more content…
For example, the act states “that future improvements in health will require the cooperative partnership of governments, health professionals, voluntary organizations and individual Canadians”, which allows and even encourages partnerships, such as the public-private partnerships (Canada Health Act, 2012, 1; Whiteside, 2015). In addition, the Canada Health Act places a considerable burden for health care on the individual person, and their families, as phrased by the act as : “that Canadians can achieve further improvements in their well-being through combining individual lifestyles that emphasize fitness, prevention of disease and health promotion with collective action against the social, environmental and occupational causes of disease” (Canada Health Act, 2012, 1). While a holistic view of health is ideal, the language of the Canada Health Act (2012) places the main responsibility and blame for proper health care on the patient and their family. This is problematic, as it creates the impression that the patient is at fault for having a disease, as well as creating an allowance for the responsibility of recovery to be transferred to the domestic sphere (Canada Health Act,
The act itself shows considerable pride in the system, indicating that doctors “have made outstanding progress in treating sickness” (Canada Health Act, 2012, 1). The act places a significant emphasis on equality regarding to “continued access to quality health care without financial or other barriers” (Canada Health Act, 2012, 1). The main principle of the act has a heavy emphasis on ensuring equality to access for all Canadian citizens, as well as trying to engage in as much preventive medicine (Canada Health Act, 2012). These principles are explained, when it is noted in the Canada Health Act that: “It is hereby declared that the primary objective of Canadian health care policy is to protect, promote and restore the physical and mental well-being of residents of Canada and to facilitate reasonable access to health services without financial or other barriers” (Canada Health Act, 2012, 5). The quote just mentioned from the Canada Health Act (2012) is also interesting, as it also emphasizes the importance of, and the need to have equal access for, mental health care (which is one area that seemingly promotes inequality through high treatment costs) (Canada Health Act, 2012; Mulvale and Bourgeault, …show more content…
For example, the act states “that future improvements in health will require the cooperative partnership of governments, health professionals, voluntary organizations and individual Canadians”, which allows and even encourages partnerships, such as the public-private partnerships (Canada Health Act, 2012, 1; Whiteside, 2015). In addition, the Canada Health Act places a considerable burden for health care on the individual person, and their families, as phrased by the act as : “that Canadians can achieve further improvements in their well-being through combining individual lifestyles that emphasize fitness, prevention of disease and health promotion with collective action against the social, environmental and occupational causes of disease” (Canada Health Act, 2012, 1). While a holistic view of health is ideal, the language of the Canada Health Act (2012) places the main responsibility and blame for proper health care on the patient and their family. This is problematic, as it creates the impression that the patient is at fault for having a disease, as well as creating an allowance for the responsibility of recovery to be transferred to the domestic sphere (Canada Health Act,