PROFIT® and Canada’s competitive advantage
There’s something about Canada’s health care system that business leaders aren’t telling you. In fact, it’s Canada’s best kept secret.
While we often hear about how taxation levels affect a corporation’s ability to compete in the global marketplace, we rarely hear about a major advantage that Canadian businesses have over their U.S. counterparts: universal health care.
Canadian businesses clearly have a major advantage, because most of their employees’ medical costs are covered by our universal public health care system. And though many pay for extended coverage for services like dental care and pharmaceuticals, the costs aren’t anywhere close to what U.S. companies must absorb.
Still, it seems that many Canadian business leaders don’t realize that PROFIT® is not the cure for Canadian health care. The challenge is now to convince business leaders to fight the incursion of for-profit health care in Canada. After all, it’s in their best interest.
That’s why the Council of Canadians has just launched a new campaign to spread the message that public health care offers Canadian businesses and citizens a true competitive advantage. Best Kept Secret: Canada’s Health Care Competitive Advantage will reach out to small and medium-sized businesses, community groups and other local organizations to encourage them to fight to protect and enhance public health care in Canada.
Representatives from more than 30 Council of Canadians’ chapters and coalition partners have selected public speakers who will be participating in training sessions in Kelowna, Vancouver, Nanaimo, St. Catharines, Saint John, Moncton, Charlottetown, Tatamagouche, Halifax, St. John’s, Edmonton and Calgary over the next few months. Across the country, presenters will be equipped with a specialized speech, PowerPoint presentation and extensive resource guide that they can then take into their communities.
The 30-minute presentations have been designed to generate discussion, and to provide clear evidence not only on the economic advantages of public health care, but also about the benefits of public insurance and non-profit delivery of health care services. We will also provide evidence to debunk myths spouted by people like CMA President Dr. Brian Day, who are pushing for health care privatization.
Of course, we want to do more than just convince the audience. We also want to inspire them to act. Presenters will be encouraging people to join the Council of Canadians and local health coalitions. When meeting with a group of business people, we will encourage them to network with each other, forming a “Businesses for public health care” group. Adding a “business voice” in favour of public health care will go a long way to convincing the federal government that all Canadians will benefit from the expansion of public health care.
For Canadian businesses, and especially the small and medium-sized companies, the only logical choice is to demand that the Canadian government maintains a strong public universal insurance program, and non-profit delivery of health services. It is in all of our interests to ensure that health care delivery and insurance remain to as large an extent as possible in public or non-profit hands.
For more information about arranging a presentation in your community, contact info@profitisnotthecure.ca or call 1-800-387-7177.
Resources:
US Big Businesses Struggle to Cope With Health-Care Costs
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The Lancet | Paul Webster | January 14, 2006
The Business Case for Public Healthcare (PDF)
Medicare works! | 2006
Our health care serves up profits (PDF)
The Globe and Mail | Andre Picard | December 1, 2005
Toyota, Moving Northward
New York Times | Paul Krugman | July 25, 2005
Iacocca, away from the grind, still has a lot to say
New York Times | Danny Hakim | July 19, 2005
Canadian corporations need to stick up for our health-care system (PDF)
Edmonton Journal | Sheila Pratt | July 17, 2005
A heftier dose to swallow
Washington Post | Kirstin Downey | March 6, 2004
Medicare makes economic sense (PDF)
Toronto Star | Editorial | August 11, 2003
A healthy business
Alberta Venture | Darcy Henton | April 2003
Preserving the Medicare Advantage: Why public health care makes good business sense
Alberta Federation of Labour | January 2003
Business should promote our medicare system
Canadian Labour Congress | Cindy Wiggins | October 31, 2002
Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) and the Big 3 Auto Makers Support Medicare (PDF)
Joint Letter | September 12, 2002
Medicare Cut Seen Raising Labour Costs
Globe and Mail | Virginia Galt | February 12, 2002
Corporate Canada mute on medicare cuts despite economic advantage
Flipside | Murray Dobbin | May 11, 2000
Remarks by A. Charles Baillie, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Toronto Dominion Bank, to the Vancouver Board of Trade
Charlie Baillie | April 15, 1999
Corporate Health Care Cost in Canada and the U.S.: Does Canada’s Medicare System Make a Difference?
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Conference Board of Canada | June Patricia Green, Judith MacBride-King | March 1999
Business leaders begin to rally in support of public health care system (PDF)
Canadian Medical Association Journal | Steven Wharry | May 15, 1996
Medicare system gives Canadian industries competitive advantage, observers say (PDF)
Canadian Medical Association Journal | Milan Korcok | March 15, 1992 |
