Saskatchewan Doctors' Strike

Saskatchewan Doctors' Strike

The 1962 Saskatchewan Doctors' Strike was a 23-day labour action exercised by medical doctors in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan in an attempt to force the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation government of Saskatchewan to rescind its program of universal medical insurance. The strike began on July 1, 1962, the day the Saskatchewan Medical Care Insurance Act took force.Larmour, Jean, [http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0007155 "Saskatchewan Doctors' Strike"] , "The Canadian Encyclopedia", accessed March 17, 2008]

The Medicare plan had been announced by then-Premier of Saskatchewan Tommy Douglas in 1959 at a speech he made during the Birch Hills by-election campaign.Marchildon, Gregory P., [http://esask.uregina.ca/entry/doctors_strike.html "Doctors' Strike"] m "Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan", accessed March 18, 2008] It was the main issue of the 1960 provincial election which was won by Douglas' Co-operative Commonwealth Federation government. A commission was struck by the government to make recommendations for the plan's implementation and was met with opposition by the Saskatchewan College of Physicians and Surgeons who testified that doctors would not co-operate with a compulsory, government-run plan. The Saskatchewan Medical Care Insurance Bill was introduced in the Saskatchewan legislature on October 13 1961 and was passed and given royal assent in November. By this time, Douglas had stepped down as premier in order to assume the leadership of the newly-formed federal New Democratic Party and was replaced as provincial premier and CCF leader by Woodrow Lloyd who was to face enormous pressure to withdraw the plan. In an attempt to reach a compromise, Lloyd delayed the implementation of Medicare from April to July 1962.

In May 1962, a meeting of doctors passed a resolution vowing that physicians would close their practices if and when Medicare came into force. "Keep Our Doctors" committees were established throughout the province and a campaign, backed by the "Regina Leader-Post" was undertaken with warnings that most doctors would leave the province if socialized medicine were introduced.Boan, Joan A., [http://esask.uregina.ca/entry/medicare.html "Medicare"] , "Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan", accessed March 18, 2008] On July 1, 1962, the doctors strike began and approximately 90% of the province's doctors shut their offices. [http://history.cbc.ca/history/?MIval=EpisContent.html&series_id=1&episode_id=15&chapter_id=2&page_id=4&lang=E "The Fight for Medicare"] , Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, accessed March 16, 2008] The American Medical Association, who feared the spread of Medicare to the United States,gave moral support to the Strike.

The government brought in doctors from Britain, the United States and other provinces in order to staff community clinics set-up to meet demand for health services. A July 11th rally in support of the doctors in front of the Saskatchewan legislature in Regina attracted about 4,000 people, one-tenth the number hoped for by the organizers. By mid-July some of the striking doctors returned to work. Lord Taylor, a British physician who had helped implement the National Health Service in the United Kingdom, was brought in as a mediator and the "Saskatoon Agreement" ending the strike was signed on July 23, 1962. As a result of the agreement, amendments to the Act were introduced allowing doctors to opt-out of Medicare and raising fee payments to doctors under the plan as well as increasing the number of physicians sitting on the Medical Care Insurance Commission was increased. By 1965, most doctors favoured the continuation of Medicare.

The strike was a significant test for Medicare. Its failure allowed the program to continue and the Saskatchewan model was adopted throughout Canada within ten years. The political divisions within the province aggravated by the strike contributed to the Lloyd's government defeat in the 1964 provincial election.Quiring, Brett, [http://esask.uregina.ca/entry/thatcher_wilbert_ross_1917-71.html "Thatcher, Wilbert Ross"] , "Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan", accessed March 18, 2008] However, even though the Saskatchewan Liberal Party of Ross Thatcher had opposed the plan, Medicare's popularity was such that Thatcher's government left it in place.

References


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Saskatchewan New Democratic Party — Active provincial party Leader John Nilson (acting) …   Wikipedia

  • Saskatchewan — /sa skach euh won , weuhn/, n. 1. a province in W Canada. 907,650; 251,700 sq. mi. (651,900 sq. km). Cap.: Regina. 2. a river in SW Canada, flowing E to Lake Winnipeg: formed by the junction of the North Saskatchewan and South Saskatchewan rivers …   Universalium

  • Regina, Saskatchewan — Infobox Settlement official name = Regina nickname = The Queen City motto = Floreat Regina ( Let Regina Flourish ) imagesize = image caption = image mapsize = 150px map caption = Location of Regina in the SE quadrant of Saskatchewan subdivision… …   Wikipedia

  • Health care in Canada — Under Lester Pearson s government, Canada s health care was expanded through the Medical Care Act, or Medicare to provide near universal coverage to all Canadians according to their need for such services and irrespective of their ability to pay …   Wikipedia

  • Medicare (Canada) — Medicare (French: assurance maladie) is the unofficial name for Canada s publicly funded universal health insurance system.[1] The formal terminology for the insurance system is provided by the Canada Health Act and the health insurance… …   Wikipedia

  • Tommy Douglas — Infobox Premier honorific prefix=The Honourable name = Thomas Clement Douglas honorific suffix= PC, MP, CC, SOM, MA, LL.D ( hc ) caption = The Honourable Thomas Clement Douglas office1 = 7th Premier of Saskatchewan term start1 = July 10, 1944… …   Wikipedia

  • Woodrow Stanley Lloyd — Infobox Prime Minister name = Woodrow Stanley Lloyd honorific suffix = caption = office1 = 8th Premier of Saskatchewan term start1 = November 7 1961 term end1 = May 2 1964 predecessor1 = Tommy Douglas successor1 = Ross Thatcher office2 = MLA for… …   Wikipedia

  • W. Ross Thatcher — Infobox Prime Minister name = Ross Thatcher honorific suffix = caption = office1 = 9th Premier of Saskatchewan term start1 = May 2 1964 term end1 = June 30 1971 predecessor1 = Woodrow S. Lloyd successor1 = Allan Blakeney party = Liberal birth… …   Wikipedia

  • Graham Spry — Graham Spry, CC (February 20 1900 November 24 1983) was a Canadian broadcasting pioneer, business executive, diplomat and socialist. He was the husband of Irene Spry and father of Robin Spry. Profile Graham Spry was born in St. Thomas, Ontario.… …   Wikipedia

  • Health and medical strikes — The following is a list of health and medical strikes:20th Century* Saskatchewan Doctors Strike 1962 * Manitoba Nurses Strike 199121st Century* Scottish Nursery Nurses Strike 2003 2004 …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”