Canada's doctors are urging Canadians and their politicians to begin an urgent national debate to ensure the survival of a public health-care system that is being crushed under a growing financial burden.

Federal Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq concluded a meeting with her provincial and territorial counterparts on Tuesday and reached a consensus on ways to improve the wellness of Canadians - proposals she said are designed to prevent illness that will ease the burden on the system down the road.

Read the entire Globe and Mail article here.