Dr. Carolyn Bennett - and political decisions based on science and evidence

Dr. Carolyn Bennett is a family physician with a passion for politics, and a passion to improve Canada's health care system. First elected to the House of Commons in 1997, she has represented the riding of St. Paul's in Toronto since then and is now seeking the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada.

Dr. Bennett was in Manitoba July 17th for a reception and she shows clearly her understanding of health care, the need for change and the considerable thought and attention she has given this issue. In 2000, her book Kill or Cure? How Canadians can remake their health care system was published.

In her book, and at the reception Carolyn provided her view on how to change and improve health care. Among the critical needs she emphasizes are the need to restore true accountability, the need to improve the quality of care, the need to put patients first, and numerous areas where preventing sickness can improve health and decrease health care costs.
She also emphasizes that "top down, highly centralized organizational structures are not the way of the future."

It was refreshing, as well, to hear her emphasis on the need to have political decisions based on science and evidence.