One big challenge in health system reform is identifying the levers or mechanisms that can drive lasting system-wide change. Cancer Care Ontario and the advisory Cancer Quality Council of Ontario have shown the great potential of concentrated attention and coordinated planning, organization and delivery around this key health challenge. CQCO plays a vital role in […]
Archives for 2013
Making The Connections on Human Rights Day
December 10th is marked annually around the world as Human Rights Day. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which grew out of the terrible devastation of the Second World War, was adopted by the United Nations in 1948 and is widely viewed as the start of the modern era of human rights. Canadian law professor […]
Ontario Improves Access To Health Care For Refugees
Ontario has joined other provinces in moving to fill the damaging gap created by last year’s federal cuts to refugee healthcare. The Ontario Temporary Health Program will provide access to most hospital, primary care, specialist, lab and diagnostic services, and to medication consistent with the Ontario Drug Benefit formulary. This coverage will be available to […]
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Violence Against Women: The Importance of Housing
As we mark the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, it is important to consider whether women experiencing violence have supports available to help them to leave dangerous situations. For women experiencing violence, financial dependence on their abusive partner is often a reality. This means that accessing funds to establish a […]
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Violence Against Women: Why Race Matters
Violence against women isn’t picky. It crosses various lines including socio-economic status, religion, race, and culture. Statistics from the Canadian Women’s Foundation show that 50% of Canadian women experience physical or sexual assault after the age of 16 and that a woman is killed, on average, every six days by her intimate partner. With such […]
An Equity Toolkit for Public Health
There are some tremendous innovations underway across the public health field on addressing social determinants and health inequities in their communities. I believe public health is one of the most important mechanisms to drive health equity into action across the province and country. I had the pleasure of doing two half-day workshops with Windsor-Essex County […]
Improved Protection For Marginalized Workers, ESA
The power of grassroots organizing was demonstrated yesterday when the Ontario government announced improved protection for marginalized workers. The proposed changes to the Employment Standards Act (ESA) will make it easier for workers to access their rights when they have been violated; and will make it harder for employers to exploit these workers. The changes […]
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Treating Poverty Like An Illness
In a two-minute clip of the CBC’s The Current podcast on health and wealth, a refugee claimant living in Toronto talks about how immigration, homelessness and poverty have all negatively impacted his physical and mental health. Our health is much more than visits to the doctor and filling prescriptions. Multiple socio-economic factors affect our health […]
What Next For Housing and Homelessness Supports?
Everybody deserves to have a place to call home. The Community Start-Up and Maintenance Benefit (CSUMB) was a benefit that helped people receiving social assistance to pay for large or unexpected housing-related costs, supporting them to become and remain housed. In its 2013 budget, the province eliminated CSUMB and allocated 50 percent of its funding […]
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Backsliding 2014 Operating Budget Leaves Toronto At A Loss
There will be a lot of attention on the increase in tax rates in this budget. Should it be the 2.5 percent increase in the staff recommended budget, or the 1.75 percent proposed by the Mayor? However, that conversation, in isolation, will miss what matters most in the budget discussions, the public services that the […]
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