Donald Trump’s characterization of Canada’s health-care system as “catastrophic” may be political hyperbole, but we cannot ignore the huge problems that plague our system.
canadian health care system
Canada imposes complete government control over people's access to medically necessary care.
Our health-care system is expensive, delivers poor-to-modest results, and fails to achieve many of its laudable aspirations.
Aspects of the Canada Health Act discourage provinces from emulating policies found in Australia, the United Kingdom, France and Germany.
High level of spending has not yielded high value in return—Canada has some of the longest wait times for treatment in the developed world.
Five provinces including Ontario will see health spending grow close to or exceed 50 per cent of program spending.
Federal regulations discourage provinces from emulating other countries that deliver universal health care without long wait times.
Only four provinces allow people to buy private insurance for the kinds of health care provided by the government system.