Living with multiple invisible disabilities, I have experienced both the best and worst of the Canadian Health Care system. A healthy population is the foundation for a strong and prosperous country. HEALTH: A STRONGER PRIMARY CARE SYSTEM While healthcare is a shared jurisdiction between federal, provincial, and territorial governments, the federal government has a responsibility to lead where it can— through direct delivery for specific groups, national standards, and smart funding that upholds the principles of peace, order, and good government. Canada’s primary care system—our first and most essential line of defence—is under growing pressure. Strained by the impacts of COVID-19, an aging population, and rapid growth, primary care needs modernization, stronger support, and expanded access. To address this national challenge, the CFP will: Create a National Healthcare Professional Licensing Framework

• Work with national medical bodies to establish a voluntary national license for healthcare professionals, which provinces and territories may choose to adopt.

• Provide targeted federal funding to support the implementation of this national license, simplifying mobility and reducing bureaucracy for healthcare professionals. Expand the Canadian Healthcare Workforce

• Increase the number of residency positions for internationally trained doctors, addressing regional shortages and bringing more practitioners into the system.

• Fund national bodies to negotiate Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) with countries that uphold equivalent medical education and licensing standards.

• Implement a special visa class for healthcare professionals who already meet Canadian standards to come to Canada Strengthen and Modernize Family Medicine

• Support family physicians by funding the integration of digital tools and health technologies, easing administrative burdens and improving patient care.

• Promote the development of collaborative care teams and flexible funding models that support sustainable, team-based family medicine across Canada.

• Pay health practitioners for any unbillable work they do to help citizens and permanent residents meet the requirements of a federal program. Lead, in Partnership with Provinces and Territories

• Respect provincial jurisdiction while using federal levers—like funding, regulation, and national coordination—to strengthen the system.

• Support shared governance through collaboration with the Federation of Medical Regulatory Authorities of Canada, the Canadian Medical Association, and the Canadian Council of Family Physicians. Reform Access to Operating Theatres Canadians need access to timely, quality healthcare. The CFP strongly supports Canadians being able to receive the care they need via publicly run or privately operated facilities without having to pay out of pocket. We also recognize that many Canadians are currently seeking care outside of Canada to meet their health needs. As such, Canada needs to:

• Reform the Canada Health Act to allow surgeons operating within provincial health structures to rent surgical facilities from public hospitals at times when those surgical suites are otherwise unused. Surgeons will pay a fee to the hospital covering all costs plus a surcharge that returns money to the provincial healthcare system, and then offer surgeries for a cost born by patients, with priority given to those within the province or territory. This will reduce waiting lists, increase revenues for hospitals, increase salaries for surgeons and support staff, and redirect health dollars often spent in the United States or other countries back to Canada and the public healthcare system.