In recent years five bodies 1 have independently investigated and issued reports on the
sustainability of publicly funded Medicare in Canada. In spite of the different ideologies of
the governments that commissioned them, all confirmed certain fundamental principles. The
last, the Romanow Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada, came to the
'overriding conclusion that there is no need to abandon the principles or values
underpinning Canada's health care system.'2 That system rests on two bedrock principles …

Five commissions in the last five years have investigated the future sustainability of
Medicare in Canada: the Fyke Report in Saskatchewan, the Clair Report in Quebec, the
Mazankowski Report from Alberta, the Kirby Report (produced for the Senate), and the
Romanow Commission (appointed by the Prime Minister of Canada). Notwithstanding the
different ideologies of the governments that commissioned them, all of their reports have
confirmed certain fundamental principles of Canada's publicly-funded Medicare. For …