Dr. Alika Lafontaine - Canada's Care Crisis

Dr. Alika Lafontaine is an award-winning physician, the first Indigenous doctor listed in Medical Post’s 50 Most Powerful Doctors and the first Indigenous president of the Canadian Medical Association. 

He has served in medical leadership positions at the Alberta Medical Association, the Canadian Medical Association, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, and as the vice-president and president of the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada.

From 2013 to 2017 he co-led the Indigenous Health Alliance project, one of Canada’s most ambitious health transformation initiatives, successfully advocating for $68 million of federal funding for Indigenous health transformation in Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario, and was recognized for his work by the Public Policy Forum. 

In 2020, Dr. Lafontaine launched the Safespace Networks project with friendship centres across British Columbia, providing a safe and anonymous way for patients and providers to share their own experiences and contribute to system change without the risk of retaliation for sharing their truths.

On this episode, Dr. Lafontaine discusses his personal experiences with racism as an indigenous man navigating medical school, the significant challenges faced by health care providers in what he calls a system in collapse, and offers advice for patients on how they can better advocate for themselves and navigate the complex labyrinth that makes up Canada’s system of care. 

Thank you for listening!

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