A ballot issue every parent should consider: their children

Since the federal election was called on March 23, U.S. President Donald Trump and his ongoing tariffs have dominated the campaign, while other issues such as healthcare, particularly children’s health and healthcare, have failed to get much-needed attention. It was a missed opportunity not to have a strong focus on healthcare in the national debates. 

While urgent action is needed to address the global trade upheaval, our political leaders have a responsibility to share a long-term vision for this country, which must include a focus on the health and wellbeing of kids in Canada. 

Canadians agree. Ninety-two per cent of those polled believe investing in physical and mental health services and infrastructure for children will create a vibrant and prosperous future, according to an Abacus Data poll commissioned by Children’s Healthcare Canada (CHC), in March.  

In addition, nearly half of parents surveyed have lost confidence that they can access timely and essential healthcare for their kids. More than three-quarters of respondents, 88 per cent, want a specific portion of the Canada Health Transfer to be directed for child and youth healthcare. These findings are the same across party lines, Canadians of all political ideologies support prioritizing healthcare for children while recognizing the current level of support is insufficient. Better is necessary – and possible – for children.

Eight million children and youth, nearly one-quarter of the population, are caught in a healthcare system that is not working for them. While not widely reported, this is a growing population, and an increasingly diverse and medically complex cohort, underscoring the need to act now.

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed serious vulnerabilities in health services across the country. Many children were exposed to anxiety, depression and substance use by their caregivers. This playbook is repeating itself with news about tariffs and a global trade war and children are once again in need of increased health support.

The health of Canada’s children is worsening year over year, benchmarked against international comparators. For example, measles, a highly infectious disease eradicated over two decades ago in Canada is fast becoming a concerning trend across the country. Many children with measles have not been vaccinated and while public health officials are urging parents to vaccinate their children, a growing distrust in the healthcare system has led some parents to question and reject the empirical evidence of vaccinations. 

By ignoring the health and healthcare needs of our children, our leaders are missing an important opportunity to discuss the nation’s future. We cannot afford to wait any longer to fix this ongoing crisis.  

It’s time for the federal government to acknowledge this and declare children, their health and wellbeing a national priority. A National Children’s Health and Wellbeing Strategy would set a vision, targets and timelines to measurably improve the health and wellbeing of kids in Canada.

Investing in our children is smart policy. This investment protects our future workforce, secures the health of future caretakers and reduces healthcare costs overall. When we invest in the health of children, we invest in the health of Canada. 

“Health is wealth … there is a $10 to $14 return in each dollar invested for healthcare savings,” said Dr. Sarah Kirk of Dalhousie University at the CHC annual conference in Ottawa in April. “What is missing is political will.”

This past Sunday, just over a week before voters cast their ballots, many children across the country celebrated in an Easter egg hunt. The hope of finding a decorated egg or an egg filled with a treat is rewarding and brings joy to children and their parents. It’s time to extend that hope and joy beyond an egg hunt and urge our leaders to commit to building a better children’s healthcare system that we all can celebrate. 

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Emily Gruenwoldt is the President and CEO of Children’s Healthcare Canada.