News Release
2003-02
January 21, 2003
Minister McLellan delivers speech on Health Care Reform in Canada
OTTAWA - Federal Minister of Health, the Honourable Anne McLellan, spoke
about the consensus among Canadians for meaningful and visible reform of Canada's health
care system in a speech to faculty, students and representatives of the health care community
at the University of Ottawa.
"Canadians are strongly committed to our publicly funded health care system. And, they
are deeply committed to the basic values and principles at the heart of this system," said
Minister McLellan. "These values and principles must therefore continue to be the foundation
of renewal and any reforms. This will ensure Medicare remains a reflection of Canadians'
wants and needs."
Minister McLellan said it is time to accelerate reform to make our health care system
more accessible and improve its accountability. "This begins with the recognition that
the people of Canada are the owners of the health care system," the Minister noted. "And
as owners, Canadians want and deserve a clear statement from their governments on how we
intend to manage and reform the system, and to have the ability to track our progress.
For governments, this will mean a clear and dedicated focus on real change."
First Ministers will meet on February 4 and 5 for discussions on health care. In light
of their meeting, Minister McLellan identified six core elements that must be the focus
of health care reform:
- primary health care - ensuring access to the right health provider at the right time
and place;
- home care - providing 1st dollar coverage for a core set of portable home
care services;
- pharmaceuticals - managing the costs of drugs and ensuring access of all Canadians
to catastrophic drug coverage.
- diagnostic/medical equipment - addressing the shortage of medical/diagnostic equipment
that exists in some parts of the country;
- health human resources - strengthening national planning, training and distribution
of health care providers across the country; and
- information technology - advancing the use of electronic health records and telehealth
particularly for rural and remote communities.
"The steps we take here can change the face of our health care system, with results that
will be felt by every single Canadian," said Minister McLellan. "The Government of Canada
will do its part to support these changes."
A complete copy of the Minister's speech will be available on the Internet at http://media.health-canada.net
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Media Inquiries:
Farah Mohamed
Office of Anne McLellan
Minister of Health
(613) 957-1694
Tara Madigan
Health Canada
(613) 946-4250
Public Inquiries:
(613) 957-2991
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