Mr. Speaker, if the goal is to substantively improve the health of Canadians, then the Minister of Health must become an advocate for health in all policies.
Major health organizations, like the Canadian Medical Association, have endorsed the view that health outcomes are primarily social in origin. Income, housing, job security, access to education, and social inclusion all fundamentally impact the health and well-being of individual Canadians.
New Democrats believe it is time for the federal government to put the social determinants of health at the core of all policies in this country. This means making a commitment to end poverty in Canada and to provide quality affordable housing for all Canadians. This means making improvements to the quality of public education, and it means affordable universal child care, and greater protections for minorities suffering from discrimination. This means providing resources for mental health services for Canadians seeking help, and efforts to reduce stigma.
In this Parliament, New Democrats will work hard towards these goals and be a willing partner with the government toward them.