QUESTION PERIOD — Health
Policy Development
February 27, 2024
Senator Gold, since 1995, the Government of Canada has used GBA Plus to assess how different women, men and gender-diverse people experience policies, programs and initiatives. GBA Plus is then applied to the development of policies, programs and legislation.
Health is determined by a broad range of personal, social, economic and environmental determinants. Has the government ever considered using a specific health lens or health tool similar to GBA Plus during the development of policies, programs and legislation?
Thank you for your question, senator.
I’ve been advised that the Treasury Board employs what is called the Quality of Life Framework for Canada, which brings together key economic, social and environmental datasets to support the measurement of Canadians’ quality of life and help drive evidence-based budgeting and decision making at the federal level. Specifically, the Quality of Life Framework for Canada consists of a set of 84 indicators, organized into a series of domains, including health, society, prosperity, environment and good governance.
That is a lens through which the Treasury Board does evaluate policies and decision making within its ambit.
Health is complex, and the health care crisis has been called a “wicked” problem, meaning that there are multiple interdependencies, multiple causes and no single, clear solution. While I’m pleased to see that the federal government now has bilateral health care agreements signed with seven provinces and territories, I’m concerned that, once all the agreements are in place, the federal government will simply sit back and say, “job done.” Money alone will not fix Canada’s antiquated health care system.
Beyond the funding agreements, what is the federal government’s vision and long-term plan for health care?
Thank you for the question.
There is a money component: There is more than $200 billion over 10 years to support the Working Together to Improve Health Care for Canadians Plan. There are four basic pillars in terms of the work with provinces and territories: expanding access to family health care services; supporting health care workers in reducing backlogs; improving access to quality mental health, substance use and addictions services; and modernizing the health care system.
