Event

How seismic changes in mainstream media are impacting access to health care information — and what Canadians can do about it

January 30, 2024, 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. + Google + Apple + Outlook + Yahoo

Virtual event (Bilingual – simultaneous interpretation)

Guided by the Canadian Medical Association’s new Health & Media Annual Tracking Survey, we’ll examine complex issues of trust that underpin the dissemination of health care information in Canada.

The Canadian media landscape is undergoing a seismic shift. From resource and business struggles in newsrooms to social media disruption and misinformation, Canadians are experiencing a systemic change in how they receive and interact with media and information. Simultaneously, Canada’s health care systems are at a breaking point, and, as the Public Policy Forum’s (PPF) recent report states “that public expectations have changed suddenly and significantly, with the tenor of the national conversation [on the universal health-care system] moving from pride to peril.” The Canadian Medical Association (CMA), in collaboration with Abacus Data, is working to understand the impact of this pervasive shift, convening a dialogue with PPF to discuss exclusive polling results.

When we know better, we do better. By mobilizing knowledge around the relationship between Canadians and quality health information in the media ecosystem – and tracking it year over year – the CMA hopes to empower Canadians to take back their health care and inspire system-wide innovation.

On Tuesday, January 30, 2024, from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm ET, PPF and CMA hosted an event to hear the presentation on the results of this inaugural research from David Coletto, CEO of Abacus Data, followed by a discussion with a panel of experts, including CMA President Dr. Kathleen Ross.

Speakers

Kathleen Ross, MD MSc MCFP

President, Canadian Medical Association

Dr. Kathleen Ross is the President of the Canadian Medical Association and a family physician in Coquitlam and New Westminster, BC, and is a recognized expert in physician leadership and quality improvement. She has held numerous leadership roles throughout her career, including president of Doctors of BC, and is committed to fostering inclusive, diverse and anti-racist practices in health care. With an interest in advancing technology in front-line clinical care, she served as physician lead and chair of the Pathways Patient Referral Association, an indispensable online clinical and referral tool for physicians in BC and the Yukon. She is an avid volunteer in her community and internationally and has received several awards for her global humanitarian work.
David Coletto

Founder, Chair & CEO, Abacus Data

David Coletto is founder, Chair & CEO of Abacus Data a full-service market research and strategy firm based in Ottawa and Toronto. With over a decade and a half of experience in the industry, David founded Abacus 13 years ago and since then David has become one of Canada’s most respected social researchers regularly commenting on politics, the labour market, and consumer behaviour.

He earned a PhD in Political Science from the University of Calgary in 2010 is an adjunct professor at Carleton University. He is the host and producer of inFocus with David Coletto a podcast that explores the intersection of public opinion, politics, public policy, and consumer behaviour.

He’s a foodie, cyclist, and an avid traveler.
Wency Leung

Reporter, The Local

Wency Leung is a reporter for The Local, an award-winning, independent news magazine focusing on urban health and social issues in Toronto. Prior to joining The Local, she was a health reporter for The Globe and Mail.
Dr. Victoria Lee

President & CEO, Fraser Health

Dr. Victoria Lee is the President & CEO of Fraser Health where she leads the overall management and delivery of health programs and services in one of the largest and fastest-growing health networks in Canada. Dr. Lee also sits on PPF’s panel of health experts.

Moderator

Marian Campbell Jarvis

Public Service Senior Fellow, Public Policy Forum

Marian Campbell Jarvis, Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic & Program Policy at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada / Immigration, Réfugiés et Citoyenneté Canada, joins the Public POlicy Forum through an Interchange as the first PPF-Public Service Senior Fellow.

In her current role, Ms. Campbell Jarvis provides strategic policy advice and program management, including international and intergovernmental affairs, on all immigration matters to the Minister and Deputy Minister. In previous roles in the federal government, she has worked as the Assistant Secretary to the Cabinet for Social Development Policy in the Privy Council Office; Assistant Deputy Minister, Lands and Minerals Sector, at Natural Resources Canada (NRCan); Director General, Strategic Policy and Operations in the Earth Sciences Sector at NRCan; and the Director then Executive Director of Strategic Policy Initiatives at Health Canada.