If an Epidemic Hits, Canada’s Health-Care System Will Fall Woefully Short

Ambulances outside the Dartmouth General Hospital in Dartmouth, N.S., in a file photo. A major epidemic would overpower Canada’s health care system largely because of a shortage of hospital beds. The Canadian Press/Andrew Vaughan

Commentary

There are lots of ways the world could end. There’s even a TEDx talk on eight possible ways by Stephen Petranek, the guy who did the famous TED talk on “10 ways the world could end.” My favourites are an asteroid and an epidemic. An epidemic is first in Petranek’s “eight ways” talk. And apparently Canadians should worry about epidemics because if one destroys civilization it will also take out our beloved health-care system.