Election Show

This election occurs at a momentous time in the ongoing debate over health care.  The current federal-provincial health care accord - the agreement that sets the amount of money the provinces receive from the government for health care - expires in 2014.  This means the next government Canadians elect will either lay the groundwork for renegotiating a new accord, or conduct the negotiations themselves.

An aging population and an increasing demand for health services has many Canadians wondering whether universal health care as we know it is sustainable.  Recently, David Dodge, the former Bank of Canada governor, said health care will gobble up an increasing share of Canada's wealth year after year, forcing unpalatable choices on the country.  He called on Canadians to have an "adult conversation" about the cost of health care, how much we're willing to pay for it, and how many other priorities we're prepared to sacrifice to maintain it.

This week, host Dr. Brian Goldman starts the "adult conversation".  He speaks with Dr. Jeff Turnbull, head of the Canadian Medical Association about what's at stake for Canadians and how changes in the health care accord could hurt or help patients.

Also on the show, candidates from the Conservative Party, Liberal Party and the NDP take the hot seat, responding to your questions about the health care issues you care about the most. You can also listen to an extended version of this political panel here.

Tune in Saturday at 11 am (11:30 am NT) and again on Monday at 11:30 am (3:30 pm NT) on CBC Radio One. Or, click below to listen to the show right now, or download the podcast: