Thank you for the question, Ms. Nash.
There has actually been quite a remarkable focus within the medical community on social inequality's implications for health. The recent Canadian Medical Association meeting in Yellowknife, in fact, made this its theme. Physicians are speaking out more on how this social inequality can actually decrease patient health outcomes and cost the health care system more money in the long term. I would certainly agree that it plays a key component in keeping Canadians healthy.
With respect to inequality, I would bring it back to access to health services as well. One of the things we mentioned in our brief is the impact of increased for-profit delivery on access to care. In fact, deliverers who are delivering for-profit health care will only go where they can make money.
It's difficult to make money in remote communities, aboriginal communities, and marginalized urban communities. It's also difficult to make money delivering complex chronic care or difficult emergency care. All of these have implications for equity and for Canadians living at or below the poverty line.