Canadian Health Care

Whenever Canadians are polled about what makes them “proudest to be

Canadian,” the Canadian health care system often tops the list. Beginning in the
1960s, Canada’s provincial governments began introducing government
health insurance (sometimes known as medicare), to pay for hospital visits,
operations, and other essential medical services. In 1984 the federal
government passed the Canada Health Act which forced all provincial health
plans to meet certain standards of coverage, and outlawed charging fees for
medically-necessary services. Today, all Canadians are provided with
comprehensive health insurance from birth through public health plans run by
the various provincial governments (with funding help from Ottawa). The
provincial governments now generally run most hospitals and clinics as well,
with doctors and surgeons charging governments directly for their services.
Very few privately-run hospitals or clinics exist in Canada these days.
 Canada Health Act — Frequently Asked Questions, Health Canada
Canada’s public health care system is one of the most generous in the world,
but also quite expensive to maintain. In recent years, many provincial
governments have started to scale back their scope of insurance coverage in
order to make their medicare programs more financially sustainable, and
Canadians often purchase supplementary private health insurance to pay for
things like dentist trips, eye exams and any operation or treatment the
government considers “non-essential.” Such plans, sometimes called extended
medical coverage are often provided to working Canadians by their employers
as a perk of the job. Private health insurance cannot — by law — pay for
services covered by a provincial, public health plan, however.
How to guarantee the long-term “survival” of the Canadian health care regime
is one of the most heated debates in contemporary Canadian politics. On the
right, it’s common to advocate greater privatization of medical services,
including more privately-run, fee-based clinics and surgeons to give
more choice to patients. Folks on the left, in turn, are generally extremely
critical of anything that smacks of edging towards a so-called “two-tiered”
system, where Canadians with money can buy their way into better medical
care than those who use the public system. To the broader public, however, the
status quo is considered nearly sacred, which leads most politicians to shy away
from proposing dramatic reforms.
 Canada’s Health Care System, a summary from Health Canada
 Canadian Health Care myths and facts, Snopes

Globe and Mail

Born in Poland to a Jewish family, Dr. Morgentaler survived death in a concentration camp and was a
frustratingly complex foe for pro-life groups. Brash and outspoken, he is easily one of the most controversial
Canadians of all time.

Abortion Laws in Canada

Owing in part to the pressures of the country’s large Catholic population,
abortions in Canada were banned entirely until 1969, and then only permitted
under narrow conditions when the mother’s health could be proven to be in
danger. Illegal abortions continued in the background, however, and in 1988, a
particularly unapologetic abortion surgeon named Dr. Henry
Morgentaler (1923-2013) went before the Supreme Court of Canada to
 face charges. Siding with Morgentaler, the court ruled the country’s existing
abortion regulations represented an unconstitutional burden on the rights of
women, and the legal restrictions on the procedure were struck down.
Though the Supreme Court’s ruling said it would be permissible for the
government to place some limitations on abortion, no Canadian government
ever has. Canadian women thus have a universal right to abort at any stage of
pregnancy — even the final weeks — which is a degree of permissiveness
largely unseen elsewhere in the western world. At the same time, however,
there do exist some de facto limitations on abortion determined by the ethics of
individual doctors. In many parts of the country it can be difficult to find doctors
willing to perform so-called late term abortions.
Abortion is a very controversial topic in contemporary Canada, and tops the list
of things to avoid discussing in polite company. There are a number of
passionate pro-life and pro-choice activist groups all over the country, prone
to staging aggressive demonstrations and protests in order to ensure their
opinions are heard. All of Canada’s political parties are officially pro-choice,
however, and proposals to change Canadian abortion policy are almost never
heard in mainstream political discussion. Since the 1990s, there has been a
strong consensus among Canada’s party leaders that the “abortion debate” is
a topic too politically explosive to reopen, so the status quo stays. This political
consensus masks the degree Canadians themselves disagree about the issue
however — a 2018 poll found Canadians quite evenly split when it was asked
whether “there should be laws on abortion in Canada.”
 Abortion in Canada Timeline, AbortioninCanada.ca (pro-life)
 Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada (pro-choice)
 Induced Abortions Reported in Canada in 2014, Canadian Institute for
Health Information (spreadsheet file)

A medical marijuana store in downtown Toronto. Though many such stores are not actually licensed
medical retailers, police in big cities rarely enforce such laws, allowing them to operate in a state of
immunity.

Drugs and Alcohol

Liquor was associated with all sorts of social ills in early Canada, and at various
times during the early 20th century most provinces experimented with
banning the sale and production of alcohol in various ways. This era of so-
called prohibition was not the magical solution many had hoped for, however,
and by the 1920s, most provinces had changed their laws to re-allow the sale of
alcohol, but only within certain tight regulations. To this day, Canadian
provinces will often have complicated rules governing just how or where booze
can be sold; in some provinces it may only be sold by special government-run
liquor stores, in others the law may require hard alcohol and beer to be sold at
different locations. Almost all forbid the sale of liquor at 24-hour shops like
supermarkets and corner stores. Provinces generally allow citizens to brew (but
not sell) their own beer and wine, but it is against federal law to make distilled
liquor without a permit.
Canada’s legal drinking age is set by the provinces. In Alberta, Manitoba and
Quebec the age is 18, everywhere else it is 19. Most provinces also have strict
laws against consuming alcohol in public places and low standards for what
constitutes “driving while under the influence.”
Marijuana was legalized for personal consumption across Canada in the fall of
2018. In theory, there are a lot of strict laws dictating exactly when, where and
 how marijuana can be bought, sold, and used, but it’s unclear to what degree
these rules will be enforced. Prior to 2018, Canada’s anti-pot laws were rarely
enforced and offenders rarely faced serious punishment, particularly in big
cities. Since 2001, it has been legal for Canadian doctors to
prescribe marijuana for medical reasons, and in 2014 the federal
government authorized the licensing of private retail distribution of medicinal
marijuana — a decision which triggered a dramatic increase of pot shops in
urban centres, most of which promote rather hazy definitions of “medically
necessary” pot.
Hard drugs like heroin, cocaine, LSD, and meth are all banned in Canada.
 Cannabis in Canada: Get the Facts, Government of Canada
 Cannabis for Medical Purposes, Health Canada
 Health Labels for Cigarettes and Little Cigars, Government of Canada
A few works that have been banned from Canad " (DVD)

 " Freedom of Speech in Canada

Canadians generally take their constitutionally-protected right to free
expression (the freedom to say or write whatever you want) very seriously, but
the privilege is not an absolute one. As discussed in the Canadian
Constitution chapter, Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms allows
“reasonable limits” to be placed on most civil rights, and over the years the
government has used this authority to pass some legal limits on freedom of
speech. Canada has relatively uncontroversial laws that forbid spreading
deliberate, malicious lies about other people (known as slander or libel) as well
as copying or attempting to profit from other people’s ideas (copyright
infringement). It is also generally against the law to use speech to encourage,
advise, or provoke the committing of crimes.
It is still technically illegal to sell or produce obscene material in Canada and
the Canadian government often bans the import of specific magazines, books,
comics, containing very extreme depictions of sexual violence or perverted sex
acts like incest or pedophilia. More “mainstream” pornography is only
available in specially licensed stores or theaters, though this has obviously
become far less relevant in the internet age. Provincial governments have
similar laws banning children from buying pornography, excessively violent
video games, or tickets for movies with “mature” content
 Canada Border Services Agency’s Policy on the Classification of Obscene
Material
 Movie Ratings in Canada, Parent Previews
Canada has hate speech laws that make it a crime to publicly incite “hatred
against any identifiable group” such as racial, religious, or sexual minorities,
through written statements or other forms of media. There are exemptions for
matters of sincere opinion or religious belief, and the attorney general of
Canada must generally choose to initiate prosecution. More sweeping laws that
made it a crime to “expose a person or persons to hatred or contempt” on the
basis of identity were abolished in 2014. Sentences for the most extreme forms
of hate speech, particularly hate speech that “promotes genocide,” can reach a
maximum of two to five years in prison. New national security legislation makes
it a crime to distribute media that “advocates or promotes” terrorism, as well.
 When is it hate speech?: 7 significant Canadian cases, CBC

Yellow Cat/Shutterstock
Fake Guns
 It's against the law to own a "replica firearm" in Canada, which the law defines as "any device that is
designed or intended to exactly resemble, or to resemble with near precision, a firearm." In order to avoid
breaking the law, toy guns, paintball guns, and other play weapons are often cartoonishly proportioned and
have bright orange muzzles.

Guns in Canada
As a country with long traditions of hunting and trapping, Canada’s rate of gun
ownership has historically been high, and Canada has some of the most liberal
gun laws on earth. According to the Canadian National Firearms
Association, there are presently about 21 million guns in Canada owned by
about seven million Canadians — or about 20 per cent of the population — the
majority of whom are recreational hunters. The most commonly owned guns in
Canada are rifles and shotguns.
The Canadian government requires citizens to pass a safety course and undergo
a background check before they can get a firearms Possession and
Acquisition Licence (PAL) to legally own or buy arms, and laws governing gun
storage and transportation are detailed and strict. Unlike most countries,
Canada does not have national gun registry, though handgun owners must
obtain a registration certificate to prove they are a legal owner. The government
maintains a long list of banned guns, mostly semi-automatic rifles, though they
can be rented for use in shooting ranges.
Gun control in Canada has proven to be an issue which sharply divides the
country in terms of rural-versus-urban. For those who live in big cities, guns tend
to be associated with inner-city crime, particularly gangland murders, and
support to severely control or outright ban gun possession is usually high.
Canadians who live in more rural parts of the country, in contrast, usually
associate guns with hobbies like hunting, sport shooting and collecting, and see
gun control as an undue burden that punishes the otherwise law-abiding.
 Frequently Asked Questions Canadian Firearms Program, RCMP
 Canadian Coalition for Gun Control
Discrimination Protections
Canada has a fairly robust set of legal protections designed to prevent
Canadians from being discriminated against on the basis of things they can’t
control, such as race, gender, religion, or sexual orientation.
The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms is a section of
the Canadian Constitution that makes it illegal for the government of
Canada, or any provincial government to pass laws that either explicitly
discriminate against certain Canadians on the basis of their identity, or simply
place an unfair burden on one group over another. The Supreme Court of
Canada routinely overturns laws they perceive to be discriminatory on the
grounds of Charter protections.
Canada also has a sweeping piece of legislation called the Canadian Human
Rights Act that forbids private entities, such as employers, landlords, schools,
and stores from discriminating against clients or customers on the basis of
identity. Discrimination cases of these sorts are investigated by the Canadian
Human Rights Commission and adjudicated by a court-like body known as
the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal  that has the power to issue fines and
or other corrective actions. The various provincial governments have their own
human rights laws, commissions, and tribunals as well.
 Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender
Rights
Canadians’ attitudes towards same-sex relationships have greatly liberalized
over the last couple decades. Beginning in 1969, most legal bans on
“sodomy” were lifted, and since then, more and more Canadians have been
comfortable living “out” lives as open homosexuals. Provincial governments now
explicitly prohibit discrimination in employment or housing on the basis of
sexual orientation, and the Supreme Court of Canada has ruled that it is
constitutional to impose fines or bans on those who spread aggressively anti-
gay “hate speech.” At the same time, homosexuality can still be an issue that
makes some Canadians uncomfortable. Many gay or lesbians may experience
tension with their families in the aftermath of “coming out” (particularly in more
rural or religious parts of the country), and many same-sex couples may not be
comfortable showing affection in public, with the exception of known “gay-
friendly” venues or neighbourhoods.
After years of opposition from both major parties, in 2005 same-sex
marriage was legalized in Canada when the short-lived government of Prime
Minister Paul Martin (b. 1938) passed the Civil Marriage Act, which
redefined marriage as simply a “lawful union of two persons.” The law was
opposed, and continues to be opposed, by many Christian groups and political
conservatives, but in 2016 the Conservative Party formally abandoned its
promise to reverse the legislation.
Transgenderism, or being born into a biological sex that does not match one’s
psychological gender identity has only very recently become a matter of
mainstream attention in Canada, and it remains a topic that is far more
controversial and contested than homosexuality. All provincial health plans
recognize gender dysmorphia — the medical name for the state of being
transgender — as a valid medical condition, and will cover the costs of sex
reassignment surgery (also known as gender-confirming surgery). That
said, there are almost no surgeons in Canada who actually perform the
procedure, and many trans Canadians must travel abroad — and often pay out
of pocket — to have it performed. Many Canadians may be hostile or skeptical of
transgender people, though there is also growing acceptance of trans people as
a legitimate minority deserving of public compassion and legal protection.
 Egale, Canada’s largest LGBT lobby group

A billboard in downtown Vancouver reminds men of Canada's prostitution laws.

Prostitution
Selling sex is legal in Canada, but purchasing it is not, a somewhat confusing
status quo born from a 2013 Supreme Court ruling holding that previous
attempts to outlaw selling represented an undue burden on the safety rights of
prostitutes.
Canada’s new prostitution laws, passed in 2014, impose tight regulations on
precisely how sex can be sold and advertised — generally as far from public
view as possible, and only by the prostitute herself (as opposed to a pimp,
madam, or brothel).
 Prostitution is incredibly stigmatized in Canada, and sex work is considered an
incredibly dangerous and offensive job. Many Canadian prostitutes are poor
women (and to a lesser extent, gay men) who come from some of society’s
most marginalized groups, such as drug addicts, refugees, or aboriginal
Canadians. Despite laws forbidding it, many prostitutes are likewise trapped
in exploitive relationships with their managers that are both physically and
economically abusive. In recent years, it has been more common to see
charitable groups in large Canadian cities that actively work to improve the
conditions of sex workers, though this has also faced controversy for
“normalizing” prostitution.

meunierd/Shutterstock
The massive Casino de Montreal in Quebec is Canada's largest casino, and one of the largest on earth.

Gambling in Canada
First legalized in 1969, government-run gambling underwent a dramatic boom
in Canada during the 1980s and 1990s, largely as a way for provinces to
increase their budget revenues without raising taxes. All provinces are now
home to a wide variety of legal games of chance, including slot
machines, casinos, sports bookies, animal racing, and video lottery
terminals (or “VLTs”). In 2010, the province of British Columbia went even
further and became the first jurisdiction in North America to legalize internet
casinos as well. It should be noted that in all these cases gambling services are
government-run; it remains illegal in Canada to run a private casino or betting
house.
The provincial governments all run lottery corporations that sell so-called
“scratch-and-win tickets” and other lottery tickets at corner stores and
lottery kiosks in shopping malls. There are two national lotteries in Canada,
the Lotto 649 and the Lotto Max, with winners picked every month. Winners
are chosen from their ability to successfully predict a string of randomly-drawn
numbers.
Compared to some of the other issues discussed in this chapter, gambling is
generally only a minor controversy in modern Canada. While most Canadians
may not want a casino in their neighbourhood and may be aware that there are
health problems associated with too much gambling, casual gambling once in a
while is a fairly common pastime unlikely to evoke much judgment from others.
Buying lottery tickets has a relatively mild social stigma as stereotypically
“lower class” behavior.

 Most popular online casinos in Canada

Death Penalty in Canada
From 1859 to 1962, the Canadian government executed 710 convicts, mostly
by hanging, for various crimes involving murder or treason. After a series of
controversial cases, a moratorium on further executions was imposed in 1967,
followed by the outright abolishment of the death penalty in 1976, by the Liberal
government of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau (1919-2000).
Despite being execution-free for more than 30 years, public support for
executing murderers remains high in Canada, though no Canadian political
party officially supports reversing the current ban.
 Capital Punishment in Canada, CBC
Welfare and Pensions in Canada
In response to increasing Canadian life expectancy, the Canadian government
has created various pension programs to ensure Canadians will still have
access to a livable income even after they are too old to continue working.
Today, every Canadian’s paycheque includes a deduction for the Canadian
Pension Plan (CPP), which is then pooled by the federal government, partially
invested in the stock market (via the CPP Investment Board), and then
redistributed in the form of pension cheques to citizens over the age of 65. In
addition, there is also the similar but optional Old Age
Security Pension (OAS) program, which can be opted into by retirement age
seniors who have lived in Canada for a significant period of time. Of course, this
is just a broad summary. Both programs are, in fact, extremely complicated and
bureaucratic, and likely to get even more so as the government is forced to deal
with a rapidly aging population. About half of all Canadians are also part of
a private pension plan through their employer.
 Public Pensions, Government of Canada
 Reality check: Is CPP going to be around when you retire?, Global News
Welfare is a broad term that basically refers to various forms of financial
assistance that are paid by the government to people who, for whatever reason,
are not working. Employment Insurance (formerly known by the more dour
name Unemployment Insurance) is the most common form of this, and is
available to Canadians who have been unexpectedly laid off or forced to quit
their jobs for reasons such as pregnancy, illness or injury, or to take care of a
sickly loved one. Most provinces offer similar programs known as income
assistance for people unable to work, as well as disability
assistance programs for people with limiting physical impairments.
 Employment Insurance Benefits, Government of Canada
In general, welfare programs are fairly controversial in Canada and
there are social taboos associated with using them for too long. Since the 1990s,
welfare rules have gotten steadily stricter, and now it’s usually expected that
welfare recipients will be actively seeking jobs or otherwise making plans for
their future while on it.