“The concern around the country is: do we have the system in place that would have allowed for the supports to that individual for the duration of their illness? And I would say they are not. That is one point where we’re still having active conversations,” said Health Canada ADM Sarah Lawley.

ETHI’s 2012 Lobbying Act review: 30 witnesses, 13 meetings, 11 recommendations, zero changes #lobbying #cdnpoli lobbymonitor.ca/2026/04/01/n...

A follow-up to last week's scoop that ISED has informed Strategic Science Fund recipients that they will receive less money than originally agreed to in 2024 as a result of the feds' spending review. #cdnpoli

SCOOP: Nearly two years after signing contribution agreements and approving detailed spending plans, ISED has informed funding recipients that it will reduce the originally-promised funding levels in 2028-29. The decision was made as a part of the feds' spending review. #cdnhealth #cdnpoli

Your free Sunday read. Only three provinces and one territory have pharmacare funding for a list of diabetes meds and contraceptives. While in Ottawa last week for their COF and First Ministers meetings, premiers without deals answered my questions about the reasons for the delay. #cdnhealth

High-speed internet "is a centrepiece of what is necessary in rural Canada,” says Buckley Belanger, secretary of state for rural development. “There’s been a heavy commitment afforded to that connective piece for all of Canada … and we’re making great progress.” www.hilltimes.com/story/2026/0...

Why was Tory MP Todd Doherty calling for fast-tracking? Because a previous identical bill had made its way through both parliamentary chambers in 2024. It only needed a third reading vote in the Senate before becoming law. #cdnhealth #cdnpoli

“We want to know what’s on our plate, we want to know what we’re buying, we want to be able to choose our food according to our values ​​and concerns,” said agriculture critic Yves Perron during a recent press conference about his support for a petition calling for labels. #cdnhealth

“I think there are reasons for optimism even though, right now, there is no clear plan for implementing pharmacare ... Prior to the next election, this gov't will have to explain what progress has been made toward pharmacare,” said Dr. Nav Persaud. #cdnhealth #pharmacare

Search for alcohol guidelines through Health Canada and you'll find a 2011 webpage advising no more than 2 standard drinks per day for women and no more than 3 daily for men. Updated guidance–funded by the dept—states that up to 2 drinks per week is considered safer. #cdnhealth

There's no new funding for mental health or substance use programs in Budget 2025. Current funds are thanks to two sets of bilateral agreements negotiated by Justin Trudeau's govt. How would Mark Carney's govt move forward on these issues? It's a mystery to those who work in these areas. #cdnhealth

If you're not budgeted out, check out this post-budget webinar featuring former Conservative MP Ed Fast, former BC premier Christy Clark, and former PBO Yves Giroux. Kudos to everyone at @hilltimes.com—including Peter Mazereeuw and Riddhi Kachhela—who worked on this. www.youtube.com/watch?v=ui7i...

If you were looking for #cdnhealth funding in this budget, you would have had to literally review the entire document (no health section) and even then you wouldn't have found much. #cdnpoli

This article was inspired by a recent Research Canada conference. A panellist said that health procurement for a Canadian company is "difficult." The audience laughed as if it was an understatement. So, why is it hard and how could the Elbows Up mentality help? #cdnhealth

This story explores national licensing for physicians, which is still in the process phase years after the COVID-19 pandemic. I asked the Federation of Medical Regulatory Authorities of Canada what they're doing about this, and they answered my questions. #cdnhealth

Your one-stop-shop look at what the #SOCI affairs committee—and some of their members—are focusing on this fall. #cdnhealth #cdnpoli

This @hilltimes.com article is a few days old but it's a great read. Check out Marlo Glass’ most recent work as she highlights how the newly-announced budget format impacts northern territories. www.hilltimes.com/story/2025/1...

“When you’re seeing announcements in research and innovation, or digital health, or health equity, or health prevention, or mental health and substance use, it’s very indicative of … essentially [Health Minister Marjorie Michel's] interests,” says Eshan Naik of EnterpriseHealth. #cdnhealth

The Carney govt hasn't been the most vocal on its health/social policy so the move to focus a pre-budget press conference on actions for low-income Canadians is notable. The Liberals to go ahead with permanent automatic tax-filing, national school food program. #cdnhealth www.cbc.ca/news/politic...

Trend data going up over 10 years as well as the mental health concerns amongst those who misuse substances, said Patricia Conrod, Canada Research Chair in Preventive Mental Health and Addiction. "That, to me, is a perfect storm and that needs to be addressed immediately." #cdnhealth

New from me. This Liberal govt may not be interested in discussing pharmacare with provinces/territories that hadn't yet signed agreements, but jurisdictions including Sask. and NL are ready to talk...which is what happens when some provinces get money for something and others don't. #cdnhealth

Want to read the interview? An edited version appears online: www.hilltimes.com/story/2025/0...

Unlocked | House Finance Committee faces pre-budget time crunch ahead of fall tabling www.hilltimes.com/story/2025/0...

Missing from the plan are any references to regulating vaping flavours and producing a safe long-term care law, which were both Trudeau promises from 2021. For more info, click on the link. #cdnpoli #cdnhealth

CARP's Anthony Quinn told me that before COVID-19, the fight to improve long-term care was typically a private one pursued by residents and their families. Once that resident died, the fight died with them. It was COVID-19 that turned that fight into a public one. It's something to remember.

This bill to criminalize forced sterilizations—now re-introduced—has been before Parliament in some form since 2022. "The survivors are waiting for it...It’s very important to them, and...it’s very important to me, too,” said Senator Yvonne Boyer. #cdnpoli

Join us this Friday @ 12PM ET for our next webinar: What's at Stake? The impact of US cuts to CDC’s global health programs Moderated by @jennifernuzzo.bsky.social w/ panelists Jennifer Kates ( @kffhealthnews.org) and Rebecca Martin ( #EmoryGHI) Registration ⤵️ brown.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Both @govofnunavut.bsky.social and Northwest Territories have been without NIHB funding agreements since March. The federal program funds health services for Inuit and First Nations Peoples. Although it's Ottawa's program, the ministers say they use territorial dollars to cover what Ottawa won't pay

Front | Electoral success a temporary substitute for Israel-Gaza consensus; 'I'm a tariff person' Trump doubles down on levies; Potential Canada-EU defence deal short on details; BOIE pushed discussion of NDP resources to future meetings; and more. www.hilltimes.com

Coming to you from a new role: I'm now covering health at @hilltimes.com. This is one of my first stories. Nunavut and Northwest Territories have been without an agreement for Non-Insured Health Benefits (which helps fund health services for First Nations and Inuit Peoples) since March. #cdnpoli

UHN's Dr. @bradwouters.com gets 2-3 emails per week from U.S. researchers looking for jobs in Canada. He said, "...existing scientists in the United States are rethinking that their future looks like. That’s primarily based on the fact that science is under threat" in the U.S. #cdnhealth

A rare non-health post from me but did anyone have "Canadian election makes the @deadline.com homepage" on their #cdnpoli bingo card? Article: deadline.com/2025/04/cana...

One of the things that has struck me about this campaign is: where is health? The two most popular party leaders aren't focusing on the subject and the chosen debate themes are a continuation of this. 1/2 #cdnhealth #cdnpoli

“I really think that [in] this election, we’ve sort of pivoted from talking about domestic issues to continental issues or international issues, and health care is a domestic issue ... health care is just a lot harder to keep on the agenda, ”said Abacus Data's OksanaKishchuk. #cdnhealth #cdnpoli

Thanks to @canadahealthwatch.bsky.social for sharing my story. Also, if you'd like some background on why I say the Conservative plan is unclear after its leader, Pierre Poilievre, said he would keep the program, here's my little explainer on LinkedIn ⬇️ www.linkedin.com/feed/update/... #cdnhealth

New from me ⬇️

BREAKING: Kamal Khera is Canada's new minister of health. The position of mental health and addictions minister has been eliminated in what is considered to be a "caretaker" cabinet led by new prime minister, Mark Carney.

How easy is it to order U.S. goods & not realize it? An example from Cameron Groome, CEO of life sciences company Microbix: “We may order from a lab products supplier, who is a Canadian affiliate of the U.S. company, and find out later that all that product [is] actually coming in from the States."

My latest story: Two hundred union members and health care advocates recently met in downtown Ottawa to learn how to communicate a key message: the next federal government must strengthen publicly funded medicare, and that should include dental care and pharmacare.

After receiving questions for weeks about when a pharmacare deal was coming, Health Minister @markhollandlib.bsky.social announced the first one today with Manitoba Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara. #cdnpoli #cdnhealth

“What’s our superpower here in Canada? Well, [it] turns out it’s collaboration, or at least it can be,” said Dr. Paul Hébert. “We have to find mechanisms to essentially deliver on collaborative strategies, and that involves a lot of you guys because I can’t do that alone.” #cdnhealth

Hiya Bluesky, let me introduce myself. I'm a proud Italian-Canadian, a journalist, a bookworm and a policy nerd. I'm in charge of @hilltimeshealth.bsky.social and we recently released our winter 2025 policy guide. Not subscribed? Sign up for a free demo through the link below. #cdnhealth #cdnpoli