Ensuring the Canadian government hears the voice of chiropractors

Building recognition to showcase value

Who speaks for the chiropractic profession to the Canadian government, federal political parties and the private health insurance industry?

The Canadian Chiropractic Association works year-round to make the profession’s voice heard by the Canadian government to bring about the changes chiropractors want for the health of their patients and all Canadians.

Building relationships to ensure chiropractors are heard requires phone calls, emails, meetings, and follow ups. Other activities on behalf of the profession and patients include submitting to House of Commons committees where we bring forward facts and evidence that support our case for change. Participating in coalitions with other healthcare professional associations to achieve shared goals is also essential.

The goal of CCA federal government advocacy Build a better understanding of the unique value chiropractors offer for spine, muscle and nervous system health that leads to policies that allow chiropractors to help even more Canadians.

A recent success: Helping change COVID-19 relief program eligibility

A great example of accelerated advocacy happened in spring/summer 2020 as we enlisted CCA members in the fight for fair access to federal government relief programs.

Four federal relief programs – Canadian Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA), Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) and Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) – were introduced with eligibility criteria that did not adequately support the needs of chiropractors.

The CCA mobilized members – and they responded, sending more than 8,000 letters to federal and provincial politicians asking for revisions to make the criteria fair for chiropractors. CCA staff also reached out directly to MPs and the offices of key ministers.

Eligibility criteria for both CERB and CEWS were changed. We believe our efforts contributed to this important outcome.

As these are unique times, we were pleased with these quick wins while recognizing the need to be part of the ongoing conversation about pandemic relief. That is why, in July, the CCA urged the government to allow chiropractic offices to stay open during future phases of the pandemic as well as to use our expertise to support COVID patients with their rehabilitation needs. We advocated for this in a COVID-19 Recovery Phase Submission, highlighting the need for interdisciplinary teams, including chiropractors, to help patients recover.

“The fact that we were closed in the first place shows that we need to lobby for our right to practice,” says Dr. Mecca Fayad, an Edmonton-based practitioner. “That’s not something I can do on my own. The CCA has the resources and people with political backgrounds to do that work for us.”

Keeping our eye on long-term goals

Our response to the pandemic dovetailed with our long-term advocacy goals in August when we submitted A Healthier Future for Canada to the 2021 federal budget preparation process. In it, we pushed for policy changes to support those who seek chiropractic care, specifically:

• Permitting chiropractors to approve Canadians for the Disability Tax Credit
• Allowing members of the Canadian Armed Forces to access chiropractic care without a referral from another healthcare professional

The work to achieve our goals continues. It may be a long road, but our commitment remains strong.

Advocacy goals in our 2020-2023 Action Plan Improve the healthcare system’s approach to spine, muscle and nervous system health We work with the federal government to innovate how healthcare is provided—partnering to develop policies; addressing national healthcare crises; and improving access for indigenous peoples, refugees and veterans. Partner with the health benefits insurance sector to improve chiropractic coverage We build strong partnerships with the health insurance sector and other healthcare professionals to sustain and increase chiropractic coverage. We also educate employers and unions about the burden of spine, muscle and nervous system problems and offer solutions.