April 4, 2023 – March was a busy advocacy month for HealthCareCAN. In the lead up to Budget 2023 being released, HealthCareCAN was actively meeting with key decision-makers to continue advocating for health system transformation, improved health workforce supports, and increased investments in health research and innovation.
Pictured top row, left to right: Don Davies (MP) and Paul-Émile Cloutier (President and CEO, HealthCareCAN). Pictured bottom row, left to right: Ellen Chesney (Chief Administrative Officer, Research, PHSA) and Elaine Watson (Executive Director, Health Workforce Strategies, AHS)
On March 2, 2023, representatives from HealthCareCAN member organizations the Provincial Health Services Authority in British Columbia and Alberta Health Services joined HealthCareCAN President & CEO Paul-Émile Cloutier for a virtual discussion on health system issues with member of Parliament and NDP Health Critic, Don Davies.
The conversation covered a wide range of topics, including how the federal government could better promote health system transformation and a long-term vision for healthcare in Canada, enhance health research and innovation, and improve data sharing an interoperability, especially for research purposes.
The discussion also focused heavily on health human resources and concrete actions to immediately bolster the health workforce. This included implementing pan-Canadian licensure, streamlining and simplifying immigration and licensing pathways for internationally educated health professionals (IEHPs) and prioritizing entry into Canada for IEHPs, and creating a vision for the future of healthcare to help guide the creation of a pan Canadian health workforce planning strategy.
MP Davies noted that HealthCareCAN’s concerns and recommendations resonate with him, indicating that developing a long-term vision for healthcare is a conversation that needs to happen. He outlined the NDP’s vision for healthcare as a strengthened, sustainable, and expanded public health system.
Pictured top row, left to right: Dr. Bernard Leduc (President and CEO, Montfort Hospital) and Dr. France Desrosiers (President & CEO, Vitalité Health Network). Pictured bottom row, left to right: Gilbert Tordjman (Chief Operating and Development Officer, Research Institute, MUHC) and Maxime Blanchette-Joncas (MP).
On March 21, 2023, HealthCareCAN’s President and CEO, along with representatives from member organizations McGill University Health Centre, Montfort Hospital, and Vitalité Health Network met with member of Parliament and Innovation and Science Critic for the Bloc Québécois, Maxime Blanchette-Joncas.
The discussion centred on health system funding and health research and innovation. As Innovation and Science Critic, and vice-chair of the Standing Committee on Science and Research, MP Blanchette-Joncas is a tireless advocate for increasing health research investment in Canada, enhancing supports for trainees, and equitable representation of French research in Canada. He noted his support for HealthCareCAN’s push to increase investments in research and innovation and signaled his intent to continue advocating for more federal funding for research.
Pictured top row, left to right: Richard Cannings (MP) and Paul-Émile Cloutier (President & CEO, HealthCareCAN). Pictured bottom row, left to right: Douglas Johnson (Legislative Assistant for MP Cannings), Dr. David Hill (Integrated Vice President, Research & Scientific Director, Lawson Health Research Institute, St. Joseph’s Health Care & London Health Sciences Centre) and Dr. Frank MacMaster (Vice President, Research and Innovation, IWK Health Centre).
On March 28, 2023, representatives from HealthCareCAN member organizations London Health Sciences Centre, St. Joseph’s Healthcare London, and IWK Health Centre along with HealthCareCAN’s president and CEO, met with member of Parliament and NDP Science and Research Critic, Richard Cannings.
The conversation touched on a variety of priority areas, including health system funding and transformation, health human resources, and health research and innovation. As a member of the Standing Committee on Science and Research and a biologist, MP Cannings was particularly interested in HealthCareCAN’s and member organization’s insights on health research investments, trainee supports, the role of clinician-scientists, and the actions needed to shore up research and investment in Canada. MP Cannings was very receptive to HealthCareCAN’s recommendations and indicated he would continue advocating for increased supports for researchers and trainees.
HealthCareCAN’s recommendations related to health human resources, developed in collaboration with its Health Human Resources Advisory Committee, can be found here.
HealthCareCAN’s recommendations related to health research, developed in collaboration with its Vice Presidents of Health Research Committee, can be found here.
To learn more, contact: membership@healthcarecan.ca
