Why health care should be the ballot box issue this election

Canadians have a lot to worry about right now. We read news stories daily about the lack of affordable housing and the economic pain that will come from U.S. tariffs. Even our sovereignty feels at risk.

But as we vote in the government that will see us through this unprecedented time, health care must be core to the government agenda.

According to polls shared by Abacus Data at the Canadian Medical Association’s (CMA) recent federal election town hall, the rising cost of living is the top issue on voters’ minds (61 per cent), followed by the Trump administration (39 per cent) and health care (38 per cent).

Economic pressures are real. And they affect health. Many Canadians already forgo medication because of the cost. People concerned about losing their jobs may think twice about taking time off to go to a doctor’s appointment or recover from illness. Income is the No. 1 social determinant of health. When our income is threatened, so too is our health.

At the same time, our health system is – still – in trouble. We don’t have capacity to respond to yet more stress on patients. An estimated 6.5 million Canadians don’t have access to a family doctor; with only approximately 1,700 new graduates per year, that gap isn’t closing any time soon. We know that wait lists for surgeries continue to exceed recommended benchmarks. Emergency departments are overwhelmed.

Health care is political – the federal government sets national standards for Medicare, provides significant health funding and accountability measures for provinces and territories. But health care shouldn’t be a partisan issue. This election is an opportunity for all political parties to make access to care a platform priority.

That’s why in this federal election, the CMA is advocating for solutions we know can improve the health system, that every candidate can support: scaling up team-based primary care; making it easier for doctors to share digital health information with each other and patients; helping qualified internationally trained physicians work where they’re needed; and advancing Indigenous-led health reforms.

Our health-care system is the ballot box issue that affects every one of us – no matter where you live. It’s also a fundamental Canadian value we take pride in, even as we work to address ongoing challenges. A strong health system is more important than ever – and it’s worth fighting for.

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Dr. Joss Reimer is a public health and maternity physician in Winnipeg and president of the Canadian Medical Association.

This article was originally published on Healthy Debate.