Vote for the health of our children

The national party leaders debated an array of momentous matters when they met face to face this past week. But there was a shocking neglect of health care and complete silence about the crisis in mental health among young people. 

That’s disgraceful. 

It's understandable that Canadians are preoccupied by tariffs and a trade war that is rocking our economy. But those who aspire to be prime minister should also be speaking about the 1.2 million children and youth in this country who are living with severe mental health challenges.

In Ontario alone, 28,000 children are languishing on wait lists with some waiting more than two years to see a specialist. 

As a pediatrician, I see it every day, as do my 2,000 colleagues in the Pediatricians Alliance of Ontario — the system is strained, our patients are suffering and the effects will be long term. 

It is not only mental health in crisis. We see families struggling to pay for nutritious food and children unable to access specialized care for conditions such as autism. Young people who need interventions for chronic conditions can wait months or years. 

We've all heard about the dire shortage of family physicians. It also applies to pediatricians. There just are not enough of us to meet the crying demand. 

Yes, it is the provinces who administer health care, but the federal government plays a key role in funding and in setting national standards through the Canada Health Act. Politicians running in the April 28 election cannot and should not be allowed to evade this issue. 

All decision makers need to address the hard realities of the system’s shortcomings and the consequences of inaction. Children who do not receive adequate primary care often end up in emergency rooms that are already overburdened. 

Particularly with mental health, early interventions are critical and can help a young person avoid a lifetime of challenges. Timely access to care is a cost saving, both in dollar terms and on a human level.

The conversation goes beyond doctors’ offices and hospitals. A child’s health is also affected by the quality of their housing, the food that they eat and the safety of their communities, all areas where the federal government plays a role.

Pediatricians know that children who are undernourished also struggle in school.  Children who grow up in poverty with unsettled living conditions suffer stresses that can have lifelong effects.   

Candidates should be speaking about their plans to lift children out of poverty, expand our stock of affordable housing and support school nutrition programs. They should be telling us how Ottawa can cut wait times for pediatric care and expand access to mental health supports. 

Despite the current economic uncertainty, Canada remains a wealthy country. It is unacceptable that we cannot do more to help our children be healthy. 

Our kids don’t get to vote, but their parents do. In the final days of this campaign, I encourage Canadians to speak up for our children and I ask politicians to step up with answers.  

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Dr. Ripudaman Singh Minhas is a pediatrician at St. Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health, and President of the Pediatricians Alliance of Ontario.