Do We Care?: Renewing Canada's Commitment to Health

by Margaret Somerville

One of Canada's preeminent social thinkers, John Ralston Saul, begins the book with a harsh reminder that public policy can be successful only when driven by the humanistic principles which fueled its formulation. Once saving money becomes a goal in itself, rather than "something we do on the side," public policy has little chance of survival. In subsequent chapters introducing the five key areas, Dr. Richard Cruess (McGill) and Dr. Sylvia Cruess (McGill) write on the physician's role in society; the Honourable Bob Rae tackles the political challenges of health care in the consumer era; Professor Raisa Deber (Toronto) looks at the rightful place of economics in health policy; Sister Nuala Kenny (Dalhousie) examines the ethical dilemmas we face; and Professor Bernard Dickens (Toronto) describes how current health care issues are perceived by the law.

160 pages, ebook

First published March 1, 1999