Later this year, Canadians will vote in the 43rd federal election. Many non-profit organizations, networks, and coalitions see elections as a critical opportunity to raise relevant public policy issues. Recently, the rules for charities engaging in public policy have become a prominent source of debate and discussion in government and the sector. As we countdown…
This article is the sixth in a series on Poverty and Human Rights in Canada. SUMMARY: This article explores benefits screening, a system of auditing patients to identify those living in poverty and the benefits they may be eligible for, as an innovative step towards realizing the right to health in Canada by advancing health equity.[1]…
Introduction Most of what influences our health comes from outside the formal health care treatment system (Raphael, 2009; Wilkinson & Marmot, 2003). There is also general recognition that the well-being of communities depends on numerous actors– especially nonprofit organizations—operating in many environments (Health Council of Canada, 2010). Unfortunately, there are significant health inequities that persist…
Introduction Since the advent of universal medical care, Canadians have taken their right to medical care for granted and have assumed that there will always be doctors, nurses and other health care professionals and facilities available to them at no private cost whenever such services are needed. But somewhere along the line, the system has…
Introduction Three recent Ontario cases have addressed the question of the court’s power to intetvene in the activities of a charity. This article will analyze the law in England and the current state of the law in Ontario. The Position in England To understand the position in England, it is necessary to understand the framework…
Viewpoint expresses the particular view of contributors and does not necessarily reflect the views of The Philanthropist. Readers are invited to respond to articles in this section. If appropriate their views will be published. This article was developed from a presentation made by Mr. Castonguay to La Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie du Quebec Metropolitain…
JOHNHOEY Chief, Department of Community Health, Montreal General Hospital and Associate Professor, Epidemiology and Medicine, McGill University SUZANNE COUET Senior Research Associate, Centre de Coordination des Ressources de Sante, Department of Community Health, Montreal General Hospital Health Services Research: A Framework “The field of health services research is concerned with the application of bier…
For many years now, the dominant approach to health care has been to see disease as being caused by a specific agent and to believe that medical intervention such as immunization, antibiotics or surgery will rectify the problem. This approach has been successful in many ways, especially in the area of infectious diseases, but it…
The editor, Lynn Bevan of the Ontario Bar, is absent on an extended trip through Australia and southeast Asia. Before her departure she reviewed and approved the content of this issue of The Philantropist but her knowledge of the law and rigorous editorial oversight have been much missed during the final stages of publication. We…
With increasing government participation in hospital and health-care financing in Canada, many people have come to believe that public hospitals are owned and operated by government. This general misconception has had a serious side-effect in that people have also come to believe that the hospital is no longer in need of private funds from donations…