Opening Remarks by Dr. Kuldip Kular MPP, Parliamentary Assistant
to the Honourable George Smitherman, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care
OAND Annual Convention
October 21, 2006 (8:15 a.m.)
Good morning. Thank you for your warm welcome.
I bring greetings and best wishes for a successful convention from George Smitherman, Ontario’s Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. On his behalf, I’m pleased to join you today for your Annual Convention.
And I thank Alison Dantas (OAND CEO) for her kind invitation.
Naturopathic medicine has come a long way in a short time. As your surveys show, 20 percent of Ontarians have used the services of a naturopathic doctor. And a much higher percentage have come to regard naturopathic medicine as a legitimate option for healthcare.
As a doctor myself, I recognize, and so does our government, that conventional medicine can’t do everything. Sometimes it’s necessary to look beyond the norm. And that’s where you come in.
The OAND represents the interests of about 75 percent of this province’s 800 registered naturopathic doctors. You speak forcefully for naturopathy in the provision of health care in Ontario.
And this two-day convention broaches so many contemporary health-care issues—breathing disorders, autism, anxiety disorders—in a fresh and different way. There’s no question about it….much of your advocacy is in tune with our government’s vision for health care.
And that’s a vision of a health system that includes keeping Ontarians healthy through, amongst other thing, disease prevention.
So the naturopathic approach to better health through stronger immune systems makes sense.
So do the factors naturopathic doctors consider in arriving at diagnosis—amongst them, diet, work, stress. These are the threads that constitute the fabric of our daily lives…they interconnect with our physical and mental health.
Our government is determined, in collaboration with our health-care partners, to improve the provision and delivery of services to the people of Ontario through innovation and integration.
We’re driven by three priorities: keeping Ontarians healthy, reducing wait times, and providing better access to doctors and nurses.
Our total health-care budget this year is some $35 billion. That’s up $1.9 billion from last year.
Yet the impact of our aging and growing population, of inflation, of rising public expectations and new technologies, new treatments and new drugs guarantee that costs will continue to rise. The point is to stay ahead of it.
That means openness and innovation. And our government’s openness to complementary medicine, for instance, was demonstrated earlier this month with the second reading of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Act in the legislature.
Introducing the Act was a bold step. It means we’ve giving Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioners the recognition, respect and professional status they deserve.
And that bodes well for practitioners of other complementary treatments and services to be formally recognized as valued members of our health care system.
In the case of TCM, treatments include acupuncture, herbal therapies, exercise and tuina [Twee-na] massage. In the many centuries since these treatments were first developed, TCM has continued to evolve in popularity, effectiveness and sophistication.
Now Ontario is getting behind this continuum of care. And if our TCM bill is passed, we’ll watch as TCM practitioners grow to a still greater level of independence and professionalism.
However, we also believe—as you clearly do—that Ontarians deserve to know exactly what they’re getting. This is basic consumer protection. It applies even more strongly in matters of health.
Our government is proud to be open to new ways to make the health care system work better for everyone in the province.
We want to ensure that Ontarians have access to the services of complementary health professionals in a regulated environment.
This links with our overall priority of reducing wait times, keeping Ontarians healthy and increasing the number of health professionals across the province.
And it also reflects our sensitivity to the health care needs of one of the most culturally diverse jurisdictions in the world.
We’re committed to enhancing protection for people who choose non-traditional approaches to health care.
We’re committed to regulation that best benefits you who are naturopathic professionals.
As you well know, the Health Professions Regulatory Advisory Council (HPRAC) submitted its report on “New Directions” for naturopathy to the government last April.
That report recommends the repeal of the Drug Practitioners Act that currently governs naturopathy.
It recommended that naturopathy be governed jointly with homeopathy under a single regulatory body.
It also made recommendations related to naturotherapy’s scope of practice, controlled acts and protected titles.
At this point, our government is strongly considering that advice. I’m confident that you will hear more about our plans in the near future.
In the meantime, we appreciate your patience.
Our health system is massive, complex and multi-layered. As we transform it to meet the needs of our growing and aging and diverse population, we’re counting on your counsel, your support and your participation.
If change is for everyone, it must be by everyone. That’s why we’re working on ways to get more people involved in helping to determine the overall direction Ontario needs to take when it comes to health care.
You will also soon hear about our government’s 10-year Strategic Plan.
While the Strategic Plan will herald a new era in the management of Ontario’s health system, it will be anchored on our government’s continuing vision of a health-care system that:
- helps people stay healthy;
- delivers good care when they need it; and
- will be there for their children and grandchildren.
As well, we will incorporate and build on what Ontario’s Local Health Integration Networks have learned during their community-engagement process.
Our engagement process includes discussion not only with stakeholders like you, but also discussion with other health-service providers, and representatives from beyond the immediate health-care system, including, for instance, business and labour leaders.
Our goal is lofty--to inspire, energize and challenge individual Ontarians, and private and public sector partners, to work together to achieve unprecedented results.
Sessions like this one are important steps in that process.
And I thank you for your continued commitment to the provision of quality, complementary care in Ontario.
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