Strenthening Public Health Care in Canada
Canadian churches are working together to contribute an ethical voice to the ongoing dialogue and debate about the future of health care in Canada. The Ecumenical Health Network is a project of the Commission on Justice and Peace of the Canadian Council of Churches. The Network seeks to engage the churches in ongoing support for the common good through education and advocacy within the churches, in the broader community and by engagement with government as appropriate. Current members.
Churches in Canada have had a significant role in the development of public health care in Canada. In acknowledgement of this the Ecumenical Health Care Network has published the documents listed below in a book entitled A Healthcare Covenant. The book also includes a forward by Dr. Nuala Kenny, a well known healthcare ethicist, and an afterword by the Rev. Dr. Kenneth Bellous, current Executive Ministry of the Baptist Convention of Ontario and Quebec, along with an appendix of church actions in support of healthcare since 1950.
To order a copy of the book contact the Canadian Council of Churches office: delph@ccc-cce.ca.
Cost: $15/book (includes shipping costs).
A HEALTH CARE COVENANT
A Health Care Covenant for All People in Canada
"... in fulfillment of our mutual responsibilities, we and our governments solemnly promise to actively pursue and safeguard a holistic and integrated vision of health care for all people in Canada."
CHARTER AND COVENANT
Charter and Covenant: The Churches and the Struggle for Public Health Care in Canada, by Joe Gunn
"...Churches have been involved in the provision of health care services in Canada since the mid 17th century....Many other religious groups comprised especially of religious women and Christian laypersons have been in the forefront of every effort against disease that this country has known. What explains such active involvement in health care?..."
THEOLOGICAL REFLECTIONS
Public Health and Our Faith, Prepared by Karen MacKay Llewellyn, Ecumenical Health Care Network, February 6, 2003 - Ottawa
"In a world of corporate giants, and neo-conservative political obsession with tax cuts, it seems even health, as a basic human necessity, can no longer be taken for granted. The harsh reality is that there are those who would want to buy and sell health as a commodity, as something accessible to the highest bidder, giving priority to those with the ability and means to pay."
Why Christians should stay involved in the health care debate, Prepared by Janet Somerville
"So why do so many representatives of churches in Canada encourage our governments to stay the course in their commitment to publicly funded health care? ...Well, you can make a pretty good case for our health care system by starting from the numbers. But it gets even more interesting when you look at choices for our system as a matter of applied ethics."
FACT SHEETS
Fact sheets on health care issues in Canada
The Ecumenical Health Care Network has prepared eight fact sheets, available in PDF format. Feel free to distribute them in your church, neighbourhood and work community.
BACKGROUNDERS
Additional Background Documentation from the Ecumenical Health Care Network
MEMBERS
Current members of the Ecumenical Health Care Network
Churches in Canada have had a significant role in the development of public health care in Canada. In acknowledgement of this the Ecumenical Health Care Network has published the documents listed below in a book entitled A Healthcare Covenant. The book also includes a forward by Dr. Nuala Kenny, a well known healthcare ethicist, and an afterword by the Rev. Dr. Kenneth Bellous, current Executive Ministry of the Baptist Convention of Ontario and Quebec, along with an appendix of church actions in support of healthcare since 1950.
To order a copy of the book contact the Canadian Council of Churches office: delph@ccc-cce.ca.
Cost: $15/book (includes shipping costs).
A HEALTH CARE COVENANT
A Health Care Covenant for All People in Canada
"... in fulfillment of our mutual responsibilities, we and our governments solemnly promise to actively pursue and safeguard a holistic and integrated vision of health care for all people in Canada."
CHARTER AND COVENANT
Charter and Covenant: The Churches and the Struggle for Public Health Care in Canada, by Joe Gunn
"...Churches have been involved in the provision of health care services in Canada since the mid 17th century....Many other religious groups comprised especially of religious women and Christian laypersons have been in the forefront of every effort against disease that this country has known. What explains such active involvement in health care?..."
THEOLOGICAL REFLECTIONS
Public Health and Our Faith, Prepared by Karen MacKay Llewellyn, Ecumenical Health Care Network, February 6, 2003 - Ottawa
"In a world of corporate giants, and neo-conservative political obsession with tax cuts, it seems even health, as a basic human necessity, can no longer be taken for granted. The harsh reality is that there are those who would want to buy and sell health as a commodity, as something accessible to the highest bidder, giving priority to those with the ability and means to pay."
Why Christians should stay involved in the health care debate, Prepared by Janet Somerville
"So why do so many representatives of churches in Canada encourage our governments to stay the course in their commitment to publicly funded health care? ...Well, you can make a pretty good case for our health care system by starting from the numbers. But it gets even more interesting when you look at choices for our system as a matter of applied ethics."
FACT SHEETS
Fact sheets on health care issues in Canada
The Ecumenical Health Care Network has prepared eight fact sheets, available in PDF format. Feel free to distribute them in your church, neighbourhood and work community.
- A Health Covenant
- Health Care for All: A public good not a private benefit
- A National Health Council
- The Problem of Wait Times
- For Profit Health Care
- Home Care
- Health Care Funding
- Prescription Drugs
BACKGROUNDERS
Additional Background Documentation from the Ecumenical Health Care Network
- Submission to the (Romanow) Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada (May 28, 2002)
"The (Romanow) Commission is correct in its observation that this current discussion about health care is an ethical one. From our perspective, this discussion is fundamentally about what form of justice will prevail as we wrestle with who we are, what we owe each other as citizens and neighbours, and what legacy we will leave for future generations of people in Canada."
- Report on the Forum on the Future of Health Care in Canada (February 28, 2002)
OTTAWA-Over 100 senior church leaders and health care providers met on Parliament Hill this week to debate the future of health care in Canada. Led by the contributions of Dr. Michael Rachlis and Dr. Nuala Kenny, the forum participants built on their long history of engagement with health care as providers, ethicists, nurses, pastors, chaplains and counsellors.
See also Press Release on the Forum.
Health care isn't about 'consumers' or buying a pair of socks
- Submission to the Standing Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology (October 29, 2001)
"Historically, Canadian churches have contributed to the development of Canada's publicly funded and administered health care system, as service providers (eg. religious hospitals, homes for the chronically ill and aged, programs for the poor), as stakeholders (eg. pastoral ministries and chaplaincy services to the ill and dying), and as supportive advocates of new ideas and approaches (eg. community based programs such as parish nursing.) For Christians, Jesus has taught us that illness, or, more importantly, wellness, requires spiritual as well as physical well being.
With this in mind, I will focus my comments on six areas; (1) principles for the provision of health care, (2) financing health care, (3) accountability of all levels of government, (4) the need for evidenced based research, (5) expanding care to include pharmacare and home care, and (6) support for use of the determinants of health in insuring integrated strategies and programs."
MEMBERS
Current members of the Ecumenical Health Care Network
- Linda Nicholls, (co-chair) The Anglican Church of Canada
- Peter Noteboom (secretary), The Canadian Council of Churches
- Stephen Allen, The Presbyterian Church in Canada
- Kester Trim, The Salvation Army
- James Roche, Catholic Health Association of Canada
- Jim Armstrong, The Presbyterian Church in Canada
- Bill Jay, The United Church of Canada
- Jim Marshall (co-chair), The United Church of Canada
- John Dossetor, The Anglican Church of Canada
- Jamie Swift, Sisters of Providence
- Jean Morris, The Presbyterian Church in Canada
- Barb Stolee, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada
- Don Junk, United Church of Canada
- Jack Boan, The Presbyterian Church in Canada
