Income, education, employment, housing, the wider environment, and social supports; far more than the actions of physicians, nurses, and other health care providers, it is these conditions that make the greatest difference in our health. Drawing on his experiences as a family physician in the inner city of Saskatoon, Mozambique, and rural Saskatchewan, Dr. Ryan Meili uses scholarship and patient stories to explore health determinants and democratic reforms that could create a truly healthy society. By synthesizing diverse ideas into a plan for action based on the lived experiences of practitioners and patients, A Healthy Society breaks important ground in the renewal of politics toward the goal of better lives for all Canadians.

A Healthy Society offers a new approach to politics - and a new approach to building a healthier world. Dr. Meili argues that health delivery too often focuses on treatment of immediate causes and ignores fundamental conditions that lead to poor health, such as income, education, employment, housing, and environment. This updated edition explores the positive steps that have been taken since publication of the first edition, and includes expanded discussions of basic income, poverty reduction strategies, innovative housing polices, carbon pricing, and the role of health professionals in working for health equity. This book breaks important ground, showing us how a focus on health can change Canadian politics for the better.

This gripping account of the COVID-19 experience in Saskatchewan goes beyond pandemic memoir to draw lessons we can use to create a healthier future. Ryan Meili provides a unique and important perspective as both a doctor and the leader of Saskatchewan’s official opposition during the worst of the pandemic. Following events from the arrival of the virus, through successive waves, and the vaccine rollout, this book offers an insightful view of the political response, shares how real people’s lives were affected, and provides an inspiring vision for how we can do better in the future.