Canadian Studies · Grade 10

Active learning ideas

Universal Healthcare Origins

Active learning helps students connect abstract historical events to human experiences, which is essential for understanding the significance of universal healthcare. When students role-play the 1962 Doctors' Strike or compare healthcare systems, they see how policies shape real lives and communities.

• Ontario Curriculum Expectations
• ON: Canada, 1945–1982 - Grade 10
• ON: Social, Economic, and Political Context - Grade 10

• 25–50 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Simulation Game
• 50 min · Whole Class

Simulation Game: The 1962 Doctors' Strike

Divide the class into groups representing the Saskatchewan government, the striking doctors, and concerned citizens. They must negotiate a solution to the crisis, balancing the goal of universal access with the concerns of medical professionals about their independence.

Explain why universal healthcare is considered a cornerstone of Canadian identity.

Facilitation Tip

During the simulation, assign roles based on historical perspectives, such as CCF politicians, doctors, and rural patients, to ensure diverse viewpoints are represented.

What to look for

Pose the following question to students: 'Imagine you are a doctor in Saskatchewan in 1961. Write a short paragraph outlining your primary concerns about the proposed universal healthcare plan and why you might consider striking.' Allow students to share their responses and discuss the ethical dilemmas involved.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Decision-Making

Activity 02

• Inquiry Circle
• 45 min · Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: Healthcare Around the World

In small groups, students compare the Canadian healthcare system with the systems in the US and a European country (e.g., the UK or France). They identify the pros and cons of each model in terms of cost, access, and quality of care.

Analyze the main arguments against universal healthcare in the 1960s.

Facilitation Tip

For the collaborative investigation, group students by region to compare healthcare systems, encouraging them to notice patterns and differences.

What to look for

Provide students with a graphic organizer that has two columns: 'Arguments For Universal Healthcare' and 'Arguments Against Universal Healthcare'. Ask them to fill in at least two key points for each column based on the lesson, citing Tommy Douglas or opposition groups as sources.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Activity 03

• Think-Pair-Share
• 25 min · Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: Is Healthcare a Right?

Students read a short text about the 'Five Pillars' of the Canada Health Act. They discuss with a partner whether they think healthcare should be considered a fundamental human right and what the government's responsibility is in providing it.

Compare the foundational principles of the Canadian healthcare system with other models.

Facilitation Tip

In the Think-Pair-Share, prompt students to cite specific evidence from the lesson before sharing their opinions to ground discussions in historical context.

What to look for

On an index card, have students write the name of one key historical figure or event related to the origins of Canadian universal healthcare. Then, ask them to write one sentence explaining its significance to the development of the system.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

A few notes on teaching this unit

Experienced teachers frame universal healthcare not just as a policy victory but as a social movement driven by equity and necessity. Primary sources like newspaper clippings or personal letters from the era help students grasp the urgency behind the reforms. Avoid presenting Tommy Douglas as a lone hero; instead, highlight the organized labor, farmers, and communities who campaigned for change. Research shows students retain historical lessons better when they see policies as responses to real human needs rather than abstract ideas.

Students will move beyond memorizing dates to analyzing motivations, conflicts, and consequences of healthcare reform. They will articulate differing viewpoints, evaluate evidence, and relate historical decisions to modern healthcare debates.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During the Simulation: The 1962 Doctors' Strike, students might assume healthcare was always free in Canada.

  Use the simulation debrief to clarify that before Medicare, many Canadians paid out-of-pocket for care and faced financial hardship. Ask students to compare their simulation roles to historical accounts of pre-Medicare healthcare.

• During Collaborative Investigation: Healthcare Around the World, students may think the federal government directly runs all Canadian hospitals.

  Have students examine the 'Jurisdiction and Funding' chart during their investigation to trace how funding flows from the federal government to provinces, which then manage hospitals and services.

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Methods used in this brief

• Simulation Game
• Inquiry Circle
• Think-Pair-Share