Federalism, Democracy and Health Policy in Canada

The future of Canadian health policy is the highest priority issue in Canadian politics and, recognizing that intergovernmental relations are central to tackling this issue, Federalism, Democracy and Health Policy in Canada examines the nature of prevalent intergovernmental regimes in the health sector and the impact of these regimes on both health policy and the health of Canadian federalism and democracy. Case studies tackle such diverse issues as interpretation and enforcement of the Canada Health Act; the way in which Canada-wide health goals and objectives are handled; cost containment; the role of federalism in national health surveillance 'infostructure'; regionalization of the health system; and the workings of the federal-provincial-territorial health conference system.The introductory and concluding chapters provide a broad overview of the governance challenges facing Canadians in the health area. Starting with a belief that it is imperative to restore public confidence in the health system, editor Duane Adams argues that this requires a modernization of public purpose involving a new set of Canada-wide goals and objectives and that this can only be achieved through more effective and collaborative federal-provincial governance structures. Contributors include Duane Adams, Joan Price Boase (emeritus, University of Windsor), Katherine Fierlbeck (Dalhousie University), Patricia O'Reilly (Ryerson University), Ken Rasmussen (University of Regina), and Kumanan Wilson (University of Toronto).