Trying to Understand the Homelessness Epidemic

 The homelessness epidemic is a great tragedy, with surprisingly large numbers of people unhoused and living in a desperate manner. Furthermore, the rise in homelessness affects us all. My wife and I live in Kingston, Ontario. My wife, who is a retired professor of Civil Engineering, and a very capable

Many Patients with Chronic Health Conditions Also Have Mental Health Issues that Go Undiagnosed and Untreated

 We need to better integrate physical and mental health services Our health system often divides mental health from physical health into distinct silos of care and treatment, yet no such mind-body duality exists in actual patients.  Many individuals with chronic health conditions simultaneously experience mental health issues -- and the

Catastrophic pharmacare is a catastrophe

 Why the provinces don’t need $3 billion in federal tax dollars for flawed prescription drug policies Last week, the CD Howe Institute called on Ottawa to give provinces nearly $3-billion to establish national standards for catastrophic drug coverage and to mandate a system of transparent price negotiations with pharmaceutical drug

Canada’s Euthanasia Legislation: From the Perspective of Canadians with Disabilities

 By Peter McGrath. On Feb. 6, 2015, the Supreme Court of Canada struck down Canada’s assisted suicide law, opening the door to physician-assisted suicide. This is an incredibly complex topic, one fraught with moral and ethical issues. Peter McGrath, a Counsel in the Department of Justice, gives his opinion from

Why this U.S. Doctor is Moving to Canada

 I’m a U.S. family physician who has decided to relocate to Canada. The hassles of working in the dysfunctional health care “system” in the U.S. have simply become too intense. I’m not alone. According to a physician recruiter in Windsor, Ont., over the past decade more than 100 U.S. doctors

Gorilla Doctors: A Brief History

 In conjunction with the Canadian Museum of Nature's screening of Gorilla Doctors, OLM will be publishing a three-part series written by the documentary cinematographer Michael Boland. The screening takes place Thursday, October 9.  Part One: A Brief History The Virunga Massif, in Africa, is the home to approximately 880 mountain

Seeing Clearly: Canada’s Healthcare System Performs Well with a Human Touch

 I had cataract surgery last year--a terrifying prospect for a visual person. I love art and ocean views, and I was nervous about anyone working on my eyes. I delayed surgery a couple of times but finally committed. As it turned out, my surgery went fine. In fact, I loved

Letter To The Editor: A Response From The Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse

 The following letter from Rita Notarandrea, CEO of the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse, is a response to our August 27th article Canada Slow to Respond to Prescription Opioid Crisis by Dr. David Juurlink. I agree with Dr. Juurlink’s assertion (in his August 27 article, Canada Slow to Respond to