Canadian Election Results
On October 19, 2015 the public mood for political change came together
strongly behind Justin Trudeau. The wave of change swept the Liberals to
power and Mr. Trudeau to 24 Sussex with a solid majority government. This
new mandate will bring with it a significant change of direction with
respect to government policy and the legislative agenda.
CDHA has always taken a multi-partisan approach and we are well placed
to advance the interests of CDHA members with the new government.
The new Liberal team is now turning its attention to the transition that
will see them set the groundwork for their new government quickly in
November.
Policy Areas of Greatest Change
- Tax policy and overall fiscal policy including the willingness to
go into deficit in a significant way;
- Health policy;
- Environmental policy;
- First Nations policy;
CDHA can also anticipate a change in style and in the consultative
nature of government.
It is essential for CDHA to develop new relationships and strengthen
existing ones, in addition to framing advocacy agendas early with MPs.
The Conservatives will still be a force in the House of Commons as the
Official Opposition but will be focused on rebuilding towards the next page
of conservative movement. The NDP suffered a significant defeat falling to
third place and losing nearly 60 seats; they will now be fighting for
relevance after being outdone by the Liberals.
CDHA will be sending letters of congratulations and expressions of
support to newly elected Members of Parliament and thanking outgoing MPs
who were champions of our agenda. CDHA encourages all members to reach out
to their MP’s to further discuss preventive oral care and the importance of
dental hygienists.
CDHA's input recognized by the Standing Committee on Health
June 8, 2015 CDHA applauds the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health for recognizing
the important contributions that dental hygienists, as primary health care professionals, make in the prevention of
disease. The committee’s latest report, The
Federal Role in the Scope of Practice of Canadian Healthcare Professionals, makes direct reference
to several of the issues raised by CDHA during a presentation
to the committee earlier this year. Among the committee’s recommendations to the federal government are the
following:
- That Health Canada review the roles of dental hygienists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, and
midwives within the Non-Insured Health Benefits program to improve its ability to provide needed health
services in rural and remote communities as part of a healthcare team
- That the federal government work with provincial/territorial governments and with health professional
associations to promote a consistent pan-Canadian approach to scope-of-practice expansions
- That the federal government, through Health Canada, work with provincial and territorial governments to
support the development, implementation, and evaluation of interprofessional team approaches to the provision
of primary health care and that it support research in this direction
- That the federal government, in collaboration with provincial and territorial governments, encourage
pan-Canadian harmonization of scopes of practice
That the federal government work with provincial and territorial governments and other interested stakeholders
to assess health human resources planning challenges, particularly in rural and remote areas, and to facilitate
the sharing of best practices and planning data
More
Community Water Fluoridation: Letter to the Editor
May 08, 2015 The Ontario Association of Public Health Dentistry (OAPHD) has sent the letter
below to the Toronto Star responding to the May 2 article concerning the US
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)’s decision to set 0.7mg/L as ideal for
community water fluoridation. CDHA continues
to support community water fluoridation as a safe, effective, economical and equitable means of preventing dental
caries to individuals of all ages. Members are encouraged to visit CDHA’s
position statement and resources webpage for additional resources pertaining to
community water fluoridation. More
Federal Budget February 2015
April 22, 2015 Canada’s Finance Minister, the Honourable Joe Oliver, tabled his first federal
budget in the House of Commons on April 21, 2015. Following a recent announcement to introduce balanced budget
legislation, the government followed
through on its promise to table a balanced budget, boasting a $1.4 billion surplus for 2015‒16. “Strong Leadership:
A Balanced-Budget, Low-Tax Plan for Jobs, Growth and Security” will be a key pillar of the Conservative Party of
Canada’s re-election
strategy as voters are expected to go to the polls in October 2015.
CDHA Presents To Parliamentatry Committee
March 10, 2015 On March 10th CDHA was invited to appear before the House of Commons’ Standing
Committee on Health. The health committee is conducting a study into best practices and federal barriers related to
scopes of practice and skills training of healthcare professionals. CDHA called for the federal government to act
in 3 areas:
- To recognize dental hygienists as service providers in all federal healthcare
programs;
- To review and amend outdated legislation related to scope of practice,
particularly in the Far North;
- To Invest in education and training that supports comprehensive scopes of
practice across Canada.
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