Government budgets have recently provided some attention to the crisis in health and housing that we are experiencing across Canada.
Housing Options in HRM
The challenge of providing primary health care to Nova Scotians is evidenced by over 100,000 people who have no family physician.
Doctor Parking Empty
Some Governments have promised bonus payments to health care professionals to retain them in positions that are becoming increasingly challenging as workload increases.
Bonus for long hours with short staff
The path to timely resolution of these challenges to our assumption that Canada is a wealthy progressive society that can take care of the needs of it’s residents may require us to decide in which ballpark we can expect to find help.
Consider Health and Housing as Human Right
In healthcare, jurisdictions across Canada have sought the help of entrepreneurial enterprises who have provided resources for virtual access to primary care and supplemental diagnostic testing and surgery services. The principals of these organizations use the language of “target market” and “customer” in describing their operations.
Health and Housing is a Right Here
A nation of 11 Million that is a very popular sun destination for Canadians, the Republic of Cuba, has defined health care and housing as rights for it’s citizens in its constitution. During the Obama administration, the loosening of the US Embargo on Cuba saw the flourishing of a small market economy and increased tourist and economic involvement with the United States. The Trump administration reversed the Obama policy and took aggressive action to severely inhibit economic activity between the US and Cuba.
Canada has a much better relationship with Cuba and many Canadian visitors have encountered well educated Cubans working in the resort industry. Surprisingly, the largest source of government income in Cuba is not from tourism but from export of medical services to countries in the Global South.
Canadians encounter well educated Cubans
The government's responsibility to maintain health and housing as a right for residents in Cuba has necessitated maintaining a high quality education system that supports health and economic development in the country.
On the road to Havana
Health and housing are too essential to the success of a society to be left to the market that best serves profit and short term gain for shareholders rather than community needs that are long term. Healthy, educated people with housing are essential to maintain our health, education, and business infrastructure.
Canadians can learn from Cuba that government support to create health care and housing as a right for people is a wise investment in creating the healthy educated community that is required to build the infrastructure that is now required in Canada as we prepare to address the transitions required to respond to the climate crisis and the worldwide migration emergency.
