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Four Strong Winds: Understanding the Growing Challenges to Health Care
Decter, Michael
1 pages, Hardcover
First published October 11, 2002
1 person want to read
About the author
Michael Decter
9 books21 followersMichael's new novel, THE FULCRUM, published June 10, 2025 with GFB.
"By equal measure inspiring and eye-opening, this riveting tale of the climate realities headed our way had me on the edge of my seat. Beautifully interwoven with rich Irish and Irish-American stories of pain and redemption, The Fulcrum is also, at its centre, a moving and modern love story. Decter has written a novel – soundly backed by both science and heart – that reminds readers that our collective willingness and actions can solve the climate crisis." – Dheepa R. Maturi, author of 108: An Eco-Thriller.
"In the romantic thriller The Fulcrum, lucky lovers work to bring awareness to the dangers of climate change." – Foreword
“The Fulcrum Michael Decter’s second work of fiction and ninth book overall, follows a budding climate scientist and his long-distance beau, she also a scientist, who encounter a woman on the run from the IRA in Cambridge, Mass. that derails their plans. Meanwhile, the hurricane to end all hurricanes is bearing down on Miami. Can anyone be saved” – Winnipeg Free Press
***
Michael Decter never had a chance of escaping his fate to become a storyteller. His Irish mother, Una, was an excellent storyteller. His Russian-Jewish father, Percy, was also a wonderful teller of tales.
In the preface to his storytelling destiny, Michael has managed three careers – one in Government, one in Consulting, and one in Finance. He has also served on many governance boards in the health and cultural sectors. Along the way, he has written and published eight non-fiction books, several including storytelling within a factual narrative.
Michael has enjoyed his forty-year career in the public and private sectors. Starting in the Manitoba public service in the early 1970s, he rose to Cabinet Secretary (1981-1985). A career in consulting with KPMG followed, and then a return to public service in 1991 as Deputy Minister of Health in Ontario. His continuing interest in health has led him to accept the Chair role in several national health organizations, including the Canadian Institute for Health Information, the Health Council of Canada, Saint Elizabeth Health Care, and most recently Medavie Blue Cross. During his healthcare years, Michael wrote two books and co-authored a third:
Healing Medicare: Managing Health System Change – The Canadian Way (1994)
Four Strong Winds – Understanding the Growing Challenges to Health Care (2000)
Navigating Canada’s Health Care, with co-author Francesca Grosso (2006)
Since 1998, Michael has led the investment firm LDIC Inc. as its President, and CEO. He has continued to serve on many health and public policy boards, remained active as a speaker and lecturer on health policy, and written of three books on investing:
Michael Decter’s Million Dollar Strategy (1998)
Building Your Wealth One Share at a Time with Dividend Reinvestment Plans (2001)
Ten Good Reasons to Invest in Canada (2008)
Michael is also a Trustee of the Auto Sector Healthcare Trust, which manages the healthcare benefits for auto workers of GM Canada and Chrysler Canada.
In 2004, Michael was awarded The Order of Canada for his contributions to health care.
In 2013, Michael was named Chancellor of Brandon University.
In 2018 Michael was appointed to the Premiers Council on Improving Medicare and Ending Hallway Medicine.
Tales From the Backroom (2012) and Percy: A Memoir (2002) marked the beginning of Michael’s journey from governance, health, and investing to storyteller. Tales From the Backroom allowed Michael to tell the stories from his time in government and around politics. Percy was a memoir of Michael’s father and the stories of their shared time together.
In October 2022, Cormorant Books published Michael’s debut novel, Shadow Life, thus beginning a new storytelling chapter in Michael’s life.
His second novel, The Fulcrum, published June 2025 by Girl Friday Productions.
"By equal measure inspiring and eye-opening, this riveting tale of the climate realities headed our way had me on the edge of my seat. Beautifully interwoven with rich Irish and Irish-American stories of pain and redemption, The Fulcrum is also, at its centre, a moving and modern love story. Decter has written a novel – soundly backed by both science and heart – that reminds readers that our collective willingness and actions can solve the climate crisis." – Dheepa R. Maturi, author of 108: An Eco-Thriller.
"In the romantic thriller The Fulcrum, lucky lovers work to bring awareness to the dangers of climate change." – Foreword
“The Fulcrum Michael Decter’s second work of fiction and ninth book overall, follows a budding climate scientist and his long-distance beau, she also a scientist, who encounter a woman on the run from the IRA in Cambridge, Mass. that derails their plans. Meanwhile, the hurricane to end all hurricanes is bearing down on Miami. Can anyone be saved” – Winnipeg Free Press
***
Michael Decter never had a chance of escaping his fate to become a storyteller. His Irish mother, Una, was an excellent storyteller. His Russian-Jewish father, Percy, was also a wonderful teller of tales.
In the preface to his storytelling destiny, Michael has managed three careers – one in Government, one in Consulting, and one in Finance. He has also served on many governance boards in the health and cultural sectors. Along the way, he has written and published eight non-fiction books, several including storytelling within a factual narrative.
Michael has enjoyed his forty-year career in the public and private sectors. Starting in the Manitoba public service in the early 1970s, he rose to Cabinet Secretary (1981-1985). A career in consulting with KPMG followed, and then a return to public service in 1991 as Deputy Minister of Health in Ontario. His continuing interest in health has led him to accept the Chair role in several national health organizations, including the Canadian Institute for Health Information, the Health Council of Canada, Saint Elizabeth Health Care, and most recently Medavie Blue Cross. During his healthcare years, Michael wrote two books and co-authored a third:
Healing Medicare: Managing Health System Change – The Canadian Way (1994)
Four Strong Winds – Understanding the Growing Challenges to Health Care (2000)
Navigating Canada’s Health Care, with co-author Francesca Grosso (2006)
Since 1998, Michael has led the investment firm LDIC Inc. as its President, and CEO. He has continued to serve on many health and public policy boards, remained active as a speaker and lecturer on health policy, and written of three books on investing:
Michael Decter’s Million Dollar Strategy (1998)
Building Your Wealth One Share at a Time with Dividend Reinvestment Plans (2001)
Ten Good Reasons to Invest in Canada (2008)
Michael is also a Trustee of the Auto Sector Healthcare Trust, which manages the healthcare benefits for auto workers of GM Canada and Chrysler Canada.
In 2004, Michael was awarded The Order of Canada for his contributions to health care.
In 2013, Michael was named Chancellor of Brandon University.
In 2018 Michael was appointed to the Premiers Council on Improving Medicare and Ending Hallway Medicine.
Tales From the Backroom (2012) and Percy: A Memoir (2002) marked the beginning of Michael’s journey from governance, health, and investing to storyteller. Tales From the Backroom allowed Michael to tell the stories from his time in government and around politics. Percy was a memoir of Michael’s father and the stories of their shared time together.
In October 2022, Cormorant Books published Michael’s debut novel, Shadow Life, thus beginning a new storytelling chapter in Michael’s life.
His second novel, The Fulcrum, published June 2025 by Girl Friday Productions.
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