An event at the Lakehead University Orillia campus dealing with the Canadian Index of Wellbeing.
Gary Machan, Chairperson of the Resilience Collaborative, says the country’s general state of wellbeing has been determined by the latest GDP figures – something he says needs to change.
Machan says there is sometimes a very narrow view of health – a view that does not take into account income, air quality, and access to education.
He adds the public often have a better concept of health and wellbeing than the bureaucrats at the top of the health care system in Ontario.
Machan went on to say public policy in generally is dictated by a series of knee-jerk reactions to problem – pointing to the Harper Government’s tough on crime agenda as an example.
He says the recent occupy-protests point to a growing sense of public disillusionment as a result of the current system.
