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Canadians happier with health care system - poll

Strategic Counsel survey debunks myth that the system is 'broken'; finds growing satisfaction across the country as a whole.

Ottawa (31 March 2010) - Canadians love their national Medicare program, despite imperfections and a constant stream of criticism levelled by for-profit advocates of private health care services.

A survey of 1,750 adults by the Strategic Counsel has found that 44% of Canadians rate health care in Canada as excellent, up 7% since 2007 and 20% higher since 2004. The survey was conducted for Health Canada.

Nearly as many more respondents rate the system as fair while only one in nine of those surveyed thought the system was poor or very poor. The latter figure was just half the figure who rated Medicare poor or very poor in 2004.

A report on the poll says the findings "counter a longstanding myth that Canada's health care system is broken."

Ontarians were the most satisfied with their health care – 57% rating the system as good or excellent. Quebecers were the least content – only one in four rating the system as good or excellent.

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