Medical Advancements

854 Words2 Pages

Medical advancements have clearly defined Canada as a leader in medicine. The establishment of Medicare, the invention of insulin and the cobalt bomb are all definitive moments in Canada’s history because they all made an ever-lasting impact nationally or internationally.
First off, the establishment of Medicare was a key defining moment in Canadian history. Tommy Douglas strongly believed that every Canadian deserved the right to have quality health care, despite one’s social status. He began establishing Medicare first in Saskatchewan three months after being elected for the CCF premier. At first, the CCF began to provide full-funding for treatment of mental illness, STD’s and cancer. By January 1st, 1945 they had distributed government health care cards to all pensioners, all mothers on mother's allowance, and all disabled people in Saskatchewan entitling them to full Medicare coverage including drugs. The first actual Medicare program was erected in the Swift Current area which was the poorest region in Saskatchewan. All citizens were granted all sorts of medical services, such as dental and hospital care. This paved the road for future Medicare programs. (Mason). Medicare is a definitive moment in Canada’s history because it helped Canadians considerably, especially those who were not as well off, to ensure that they are getting proper medical care without fearing of the costs.
However, the road to this establishment was rough. In 1959, Premier T.C Douglas had publicized his ideas of full-coverage medical care insurance administered by the government that would be appropriate for both patients and doctors. Many doctors had campaigned against it in the election of 1960 and in September of 1961 members of the Saskatchewan C...

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