When the question comes up of what sets Canada apart in the global village, many Canadians proudly point towards our universal health care system. With this in mind, the newly-elected Liberal Party of Canada offers Canadians a health care policy platform which caters especially to the needs of seniors, veterans, and people living with disabilities. The needs of post-secondary students or even young adults in general, however, are not on the agenda.
Judy Sgro, recently elected Liberal MP of Humber River-Black Creek says Canada’s healthcare system is a source of economic security for the middle class. “When Canadians are in good physical and mental health, they are able to work better, be more productive, and contribute more fully to our economy while living healthier, happier lives.”
The Liberal health care platform includes commitments to provide home care services, develop pan-Canadian collaboration on health care innovation, make high-quality mental health services available to more Canadians, and introduce a National Disabilities Act to deliver equality of opportunity to all Canadians.
Since health care policies in Canada officially fall under the jurisdiction of provincial and territorial governments, not Ottawa, much of the platform focuses on building a more cooperative relationship between the two levels of government. Sgro says this will strengthen the program.
“It will ensure that it can meet current needs and the challenges that come with an aging population.”
An emphasis on Canada’s aging population is important, but many younger Canadians would like to see their own needs and concerns addressed as well.
Rashik Naveed, a spokesperson for Young Liberals at York, says that no portion of the Liberal health care plan is specifically geared towards post-secondary students, and that “advancing post-secondary students’ health care on a more targeted basis would be something I would like to see.”
However, Naveed adds that post-secondary students will be able to benefit from general initiatives in the Liberal platform, such as making prescription drugs more affordable for Canadians by encouraging provincial and territorial governments to come together and purchase them in bulk. This will be emphasized in the case of drugs that are used to treat common and chronic illnesses, he says.
But some York students feel that the Liberal plan is missing one important aspect of health care altogether: education. “As long as the Liberals can push for further youth health education,” says political science student Dino Sakic. “We can begin to see the emergence of a generation that eats healthy and exercises frequently.”
“I’m hoping to one day see our tax dollars go more towards effective prevention rather than treatment.”
Hassam Munir, Sports and Health Editor
