Canadian Medical Hall of Fame

Building our health organizations and systems Health Policy

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health policy as the “decisions, plans, and actions that are undertaken to achieve specific health care goals within a society.”  Health policy sets the foundation for the delivery of safe and cost effective quality care and shapes the entire health care landscape at all levels – institutional and geographic, patient and provider.

Doctor and patient X-ray

Health Policy

  1. 1940

  2. 1947

    Saskatchewan introduced a hospital insurance plan

    Learn more

  3. 1950

  4. 1960

  5. 1961

    Exploring National Health Insurance

    Learn more

  6. 1961

    Aware of the potentially devastating impact of medical costs of Saskatchewan families, Tommy Douglas was not satisfied with a hospital insurance plan

    Learn more

  7. 1962

    Henri Breault began advocating for the prevention of accidental child poisonings

    Learn more

  8. 1966

    The Canada Medicare Act was introduced in the House of Commons

    Learn more

  9. 1968

    National Medicare was introduced

    Learn more

  10. 1968

    Medicare

    Learn more

  11. 1970

  12. 1971

    Under Dr. Maurice Leclair’s guidance, the Department of National Health and Welfare created the Long-Range Health Planning Branch

    Learn more

  13. 1973

    Marc Lalonde presented the concepts of "A New Perspective" to the Pan American Health Organization

    Learn more

  14. 1974

    Breault campaigned for over a decade to various levels of government to have the cap mandated by law

    Learn more

  15. 1979

    Canada Health Act

    Learn more

  16. 1980

  17. 1989

    Cate Hankins led pioneering research on HIV in correctional settings in Canada

    Learn more

  18. 1990

  19. 1992

    Dr. Naylor was named the inaugural chief executive of the renowned Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES)

    Learn more

  20. 1993 - 1995

    Co-Principal Investigator of Haida Gwaii Diabetes Project, one of the first participatory research partnerships with Canadian Indigenous communities.

    Learn more

  21. 1995

    The American College of Physicians appointed Dr. Jock Murray as their representative to the White House Working Group on Disability of US Presidents

    Learn more

  22. 1996

    Despite his retirement, Dr. Duncan Sinclair took on arguably his most challenging task in 1996 when he agreed to chair the Health Services Restructuring Commission of Ontario

    Learn more

  23. 2000

  24. 2000

    When the Canadian Institutes of Health Research was formed in 2000, they chose health policy leader Dr. David Naylor as their inaugural governor

    Learn more

  25. 2000

    The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) appointed Dr. Quirion as the first Science Director for the Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction (INMHA), one of Canada’s 13…

    Learn more

  26. 2003

    Creation of the Public Health Agency of Canada

    Learn more

  27. 2005 - 2008

    Leads the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition

    Learn more

  28. 2007

    Is invited to Australia for what becomes a multi-year/city visit to advise on their commitment to expand the use of health administrative data as a research resource

    Learn more

  29. 2010

  30. 2011

    Dr. Quirion became the first Chief Scientist of Quebec

    Learn more

  31. 2013 - 2016

    Noralou Roos co-authors several e-books on health policy in Canada

    Learn more

  32. 2015

    Nora Lou Roos founds 'GetYourBenefits!' effort in Manitoba

    Learn more

  33. 2020

  34. 2020

    Canada’s COVID-19 Immunity Task Force (CITF) is Co-Chaired by Dr. Hankins

    Learn more

  35. 2021

The Honourable Thomas Douglas

Health Policy, Public Health, Health Promotion & Advocacy, The Early Days - Health Care Pioneers

The Honourable Thomas “Tommy” Douglas is a prominent name in Canadian history; a respected visionary politician, his…

Read more about The Honourable Thomas Douglas
Picture of Thomas Douglas

Justice Emmett Hall

Public Health, Health Promotion & Advocacy, Health Policy

When the Canadian government wanted to explore the feasibility of a national health insurance program. Justice Emmett…

Read more about Justice Emmett Hall
Picture of Justice Emmett Hall

The Honourable Thomas Douglas

Health Policy, Public Health, Health Promotion & Advocacy, The Early Days - Health Care Pioneers

The Honourable Thomas “Tommy” Douglas is a prominent name in Canadian history; a respected visionary politician, his…

Read more about The Honourable Thomas Douglas
Picture of Thomas Douglas

Henri J. Breault, MD

Health Policy, Patient Care

With a career in pediatrics that spanned over four decades, Dr. Henri J. Breault spent almost half of it campaigning to…

Read more about Henri J. Breault, MD
Picture of Henri J. Breault

The Honourable Thomas Douglas

Health Policy, Public Health, Health Promotion & Advocacy, The Early Days - Health Care Pioneers

The Honourable Thomas “Tommy” Douglas is a prominent name in Canadian history; a respected visionary politician, his…

Read more about The Honourable Thomas Douglas
Picture of Thomas Douglas

The Honourable Thomas Douglas

Health Policy, Public Health, Health Promotion & Advocacy, The Early Days - Health Care Pioneers

The Honourable Thomas “Tommy” Douglas is a prominent name in Canadian history; a respected visionary politician, his…

Read more about The Honourable Thomas Douglas
Picture of Thomas Douglas

Justice Emmett Hall

Public Health, Health Promotion & Advocacy, Health Policy

When the Canadian government wanted to explore the feasibility of a national health insurance program. Justice Emmett…

Read more about Justice Emmett Hall
Picture of Justice Emmett Hall

Maurice LeClair, MD

Health Policy, Patient Care

As co-author of the influential report A New Perspective on the Health of Canadians Maurice LeClair expanded the…

Read more about Maurice LeClair, MD
Picture of J. Maurice LeClair

The Honourable Marc Lalonde

Health Policy, Public Health, Health Promotion & Advocacy

As co-author of the influential report A New Perspective on the Health of Canadians, Marc Lalonde initiated a…

Read more about The Honourable Marc Lalonde
Picture of Marc Lalonde

Henri J. Breault, MD

Health Policy, Patient Care

With a career in pediatrics that spanned over four decades, Dr. Henri J. Breault spent almost half of it campaigning to…

Read more about Henri J. Breault, MD
Picture of Henri J. Breault

Justice Emmett Hall

Public Health, Health Promotion & Advocacy, Health Policy

When the Canadian government wanted to explore the feasibility of a national health insurance program. Justice Emmett…

Read more about Justice Emmett Hall
Picture of Justice Emmett Hall

Catherine Hankins, MD PhD

Advanced community medicine with fair research practices and a focus on those in need

Read more about Catherine Hankins, MD PhD
hankins picture

David Naylor, MD DPhil

Public Health, Health Promotion & Advocacy, Leadership in Organizational Development, Health Policy

Accomplished physician-scientist C. David Naylor is broadly recognized for his visionary and extensive contributions to…

Read more about David Naylor, MD DPhil
picture of David Naylor

Carol P. Herbert, MD

Patient Care, Women in Medicine, Leadership in Organizational Development

Innovative health care educator and mentor promoting equitable and accessible health care for all.

Read more about Carol P. Herbert, MD
hftc

T. Jock Murray, MD

Brain & Mind, Brain & Mind, Health & Humanities, Health and Medical Education & Training, Leadership in Organizational Development

Accomplished clinician, academic and leader, Dr. Jock Murray has profoundly impacted the field of multiple sclerosis and…

Read more about T. Jock Murray, MD
Picture of T. Jock Murray

Duncan Sinclair, PhD

Health Policy, Health and Medical Education & Training, Leadership in Organizational Development

Duncan Sinclair is an internationally recognized leader in health care reform.

Read more about Duncan Sinclair, PhD
Picture of Duncan Sinclair

David Naylor, MD DPhil

Public Health, Health Promotion & Advocacy, Leadership in Organizational Development, Health Policy

Accomplished physician-scientist C. David Naylor is broadly recognized for his visionary and extensive contributions to…

Read more about David Naylor, MD DPhil
picture of David Naylor

Rémi Quirion, PhD

Brain & Mind, Leadership in Organizational Development, Health Policy

Scientist-administrators like Dr. Quirion help ensure that great projects of science, grounded in basic research, will…

Read more about Rémi Quirion, PhD
Picture of Dr. Remi Quirion

David Naylor, MD DPhil

Public Health, Health Promotion & Advocacy, Leadership in Organizational Development, Health Policy

Accomplished physician-scientist C. David Naylor is broadly recognized for his visionary and extensive contributions to…

Read more about David Naylor, MD DPhil
picture of David Naylor

Noralou P. Roos, PhD

Health Policy, Public Health, Health Promotion & Advocacy

Unlocked the potential of big data systems analysis to clarify the social determinants of health helping inform effective…

Read more about Noralou P. Roos, PhD
Nora Lou Roos

Noralou P. Roos, PhD

Health Policy, Public Health, Health Promotion & Advocacy

Unlocked the potential of big data systems analysis to clarify the social determinants of health helping inform effective…

Read more about Noralou P. Roos, PhD
Nora Lou Roos

Rémi Quirion, PhD

Brain & Mind, Leadership in Organizational Development, Health Policy

Scientist-administrators like Dr. Quirion help ensure that great projects of science, grounded in basic research, will…

Read more about Rémi Quirion, PhD
Picture of Dr. Remi Quirion

Noralou P. Roos, PhD

Health Policy, Public Health, Health Promotion & Advocacy

Unlocked the potential of big data systems analysis to clarify the social determinants of health helping inform effective…

Read more about Noralou P. Roos, PhD
Nora Lou Roos

Noralou P. Roos, PhD

Health Policy, Public Health, Health Promotion & Advocacy

Unlocked the potential of big data systems analysis to clarify the social determinants of health helping inform effective…

Read more about Noralou P. Roos, PhD
Nora Lou Roos

Catherine Hankins, MD PhD

Advanced community medicine with fair research practices and a focus on those in need

Read more about Catherine Hankins, MD PhD
hankins picture

About the CMHF

The Canadian Medical Hall of Fame (CMHF) celebrates Canadian heroes whose work advances health in Canada and the world, fostering future generations of health professionals through the delivery of local and national youth education programs and awards.

This enduring tribute to our country’s rich medical history is showcased here and in our physical exhibit hall in London, ON.