Wellbeing economy a Trojan horse for post-capitalist socialist economy

Professors Dennis Raphael and Toba Bryant Credit: Alex Raphael @photography.raphael

Today, Dennis Raphael, Professor of Health Policy and Management at York University and I discuss the paper that he co-authored with Toba Bryant, Associate Professor Faculty of Health Sciences at Ontario Tech University titled, Is Promoting Health Equity Through a Wellbeing Economy a Trojan Horse for a Post-Capitalist Socialist Economy? Will it Make it Through the Public Policy Gates?

That may seem like a tall order, but subscribers to Small Change will be familiar with Dennis’ ability to take seemingly complicated issues and make them manageable.

Dennis and I discuss why he and Toba decided to write an article about the wellbeing economy. For those unfamiliar with that term, the wellbeing economy is an economic model designed to prioritize the health of people and the planet over Gross Domestic Product (GDP)growth.

Following World War II, GDP was adopted as the defining measure of how a country is doing economically. GDP is the measure of the total monetary or market value of all finished goods and services produced within a county either quarterly or annually. It is a measure of the nation’s economic growth, but not a reflection of how citizens or the environment are fairing.

It can also be skewed by environmental disasters like the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill that increased the US’s GDP due to clean up measures that positively impacted economic activity without taking into account over $300 million in damages to Alaska’s fishing and tourism industries. The final tally of the Cleanup was about $2.5 billion which skewed the GDP without considering long-term citizen or environmental wellbeing.

Similarly, in 2012, a University of British Columbia study that found a major oil spill associated with the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway Project could potentially trigger $9.6 billion in cleanup costs. Those clean-up projects would trigger an increase in GDP. However, that potential oil spill would cause between $200 million to $300 million in losses for associated industries like fishing and tourism. The economic losses in this example would not be factored into the GDP projection.

In other words, GDP is neither a true nor accurate estimate of how individuals, families nor the environment is fairing in Canada.

Dennis and I discuss the concept of the wellbeing economy in relation to previous efforts to promote the health of Canadians while reducing health inequalities.

In their paper, Dennis and Toba make the argument that the goals of the wellbeing economy appear to be remarkably consistent with those folks arguing for a post capitalist, socialist society. We discuss how the writers in the wellbeing economy chose not to use the words socialism or socialist in their writings and the greater social impacts.

It’s important to explore the likelihood that whether those advocating for a wellbeing economy will be successful and who these folks actually are before discussing the main takeaways of the wellbeing economy.

We end our conversation by dissecting whether the well being economy is a Trojan horse for bringing post capitalist discourse into the public policy arena as well as the ways NDP federal leader, Avi Lewis, is pushing beyond the familial boundaries of the socialist movement in an effort to generate the changes necessary to implement realistic, lasting policy changes that will benefit all Canadians.

In solidarity from an eco-feminist, social democrat, unionist, animist!

Email: draphael@yorku.ca
Website: https://discover.academics.yorku.ca/Dennis.Raphael

We can improve care without privatization Re: To the moon and back (May 18, 2026), letter to the editor published in the Hamilton Spectator.

This was clearly meant to be a “good news” story. Unfortunately, the article completely obscured the fact that by charging women a $399 one-time fee for prescriptions, referrals and group therapy sessions, Dr. Catherine Hansen has privatized menopause health care.

Menopause, although unpleasant and often misunderstood, is a natural part of aging and as such all necessary components of menopause health care should be fully covered by OHIP.

We need only look to Manitoba for menopause health-care inspiration. In April, Premier Wab Kinew announced $5.2 million to establish the Manitoba Menopause Clinic that will offer comprehensive interdisciplinary support, gynecological care, counselling and patient education. The clinic will operate five days a week with extended hours as needed, supporting both in-person and virtual visits for patients across Manitoba. It will also provide education and training for medical and allied health professionals to strengthen the women’s health-care workforce.

Services will be covered by Manitoba Health Services Insurance Plan (MHSIP) which provides free hormone replacement therapy coverage to more than 36,000 women. This is the comprehensive, lifelong health care that Ontario’s women want and deserve.

I encourage readers to join Ontario Health Coalition (OHC) members from across the province on Thursday as they come together at Queen’s Park to tell the provincial government to stop privatizing Ontario’s hospital services. Find more information and book a seat on a GO train on the OHC website. It’s time to stop Ford’s hospital privatization train wreck — so, join the rally!

Doreen Nicoll, Burlington

Thanks to everyone who read today’s article and listened to my podcast. With your financial support, a little Nicoll can make a lot of change.

You can also find my work in Public Parking Publication, herizons, rabble.ca and on my Wix site. Follow me on Instagram, X @doreennicoll61, Bluesky @nicollneedschange and Facebook.

Music: Real Estate by UNIVERSFIELD is licensed under a Attribution 4.0 International License. freemusicarchive.org.

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