Medicare at a Crossroads: Choosing the Future of Canada

 

 

Dr. Katharine Smart, MD, FRCPC

Dr. Katharine Smart is a pediatrician, national healthcare leader, and a respected Canadian voice on the future of healthcare. Born and raised in Swift Current, Saskatchewan, Dr. Smart is the former President of the Canadian Medical Association, where she led the profession through the COVID-19 pandemic and helped shape national dialogue on healthcare sustainability, equity, and system transformation. She practices pediatrics in Whitehorse, Yukon, where she founded and leads Lynx Health, an innovative, team-based model of care designed to improve access and outcomes for children and families in northern and rural communities. Her clinical work focuses on child development, mental health and supporting marginalized children and families.

Dr. Smart has held numerous leadership roles, including President of the Yukon Medical Association, and has served on national boards advancing child health and healthcare innovation. She brings both a prairie perspective and a national voice to her work, grounded in the belief that Canada’s healthcare system reflects our shared values—and our shared responsibility to ensure it remains strong for future generations.