A former teacher has been named Nova Scotia's new minister of health. Angus MacIsaac of Antigonish will be taking the helm of the province's largest portfolio, which has a budget approaching $2 billion. Many also consider it the most contentious portfolio, and it is likely to remain so as the newly elected Progressive Conservatives struggle to stay alive within a minority government.
MacIsaac, the former education minister, is expected to follow the planks laid out in the PC's election platform, including a promise to secure at least 100 more doctors and to streamline efforts to assess the qualifications of internationally trained specialists. There is also a commitment to train more new doctors at Dalhousie University and to set aside seats for students who agree to work where needed most.
Dr. Mary Doyle, president of the Medical Society of Nova Scotia, says access to health care remains a fundamental issue in the province. “Progress has been made in attracting doctors,” says Doyle, “but many Nova Scotians are still unable to find a family doctor, and there continue to be long waiting lists to see some specialists.”
The recent election also provided a marked change in the issues that were debated. “For the first time in the history of this province, chronic illness prevention and health promotion were on the political agenda,” says Jane Farquharson, executive director of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Nova Scotia. “But we need to go beyond talking about these issues.”
She says Nova Scotia “has the dubious distinction of being one of the unhealthiest provinces in Canada [and] simply hiring more doctors and nurses will not solve the underlying problems.” — Donalee Moulton, Halifax