University of Saskatchewan talk aims to fix health care

The University of Saskatchewan is celebrating Canada 150 today with a forum on health care, one of this country's most talked about and important issues.

Current U of S chancellor, former premier, and former head of the Royal Commission on the Future of Health Care Roy Romanow will emcee the event.

"It's our little contribution to 150, namely a celebration of Canada," Romanow told CBC Radio's Saskatoon Morning.

"It's intended to exactly discuss…past, present and future of health care." "Where do we go from here? What do we do?"

Radical reform needed

As a former premier and the head of a Royal Commission looking into the public health care system Romanow certainly has some ideas. One area of growing concern for Romanow is the rising cost of prescription drugs. He said the Federal Government should be negotiating drug costs, so that individual provinces do not find themselves competing against one another.

"I think the system needs some pretty radical repair to it," he said.

First Nations and Indigenous health 

As emcee of today's event, Romanow's ability to direct the panel's conversations is limited, but he said with great certainty that one very important topic will be raised.

 "First Nations and Indigenous, the outcomes are the poorest; it's an embarrassment really for the country, the poorest of all of the sectors of society."

The forum on health care happens Monday afternoon at the University of Saskatchewan in Convocation Hall and the public is encouraged to attend.