With Roy Romanow set to release his report on the future of medicare, federal Health Minister Anne McLellan has spent her first months in the portfolio trying mightily not to stir up any controversy that might undermine his work.
McLellan promises the usual — to “work collaboratively” with everyone from doctors to fellow health ministers to respond quickly to Romanow's recommendations. However, she also recognizes that the clock is ticking.
“We — federal, provincial, territorial health ministers — have the opportunity and a small window to do something that will be profoundly important to the quality of life of all Canadians,” McLellan told CMAJ. “We will pay a very huge price as politicians if we miss this window of opportunity and fail to seize this time to do the right thing.”
The “right thing” will be a detailed plan to ensure sustainability. “I don't think there's a politician in this country who doesn't know that now is the time to try and renew the system. I don't think Canadians should think there's a quick fix, but rather a report with short-, medium- and long-term recommendations on sustaining the system.”
McLellan has already faced some controversy. In her first days on the job she was painted as favouring privatization after suggesting that private hospitals could operate within the Canadian system. More recently, she expressed her “discomfort” over the prescribing of marijuana and cited her concerns about the potential liability issues facing physicians who prescribe it.
However, she had her baptism of fire while serving as justice minister, when she had to deal with controversial issues such as gun registration.
She refuses to speculate about what Romanow will recommend. “This is a man who has been on the front lines making very tough decisions around the long-term sustainability of health care. He understands the political risks of doing certain things and, being from Saskatchewan, he certainly understands Canadians' attachment to medicare.” — Steven Wharry, CMAJ