March 13, 2026
RED FM News Desk
On a recent episode of Good Morning Toronto, hosted by Shameel Jasvir, we spoke with Pranay Parikh, a healthcare professional and entrepreneur who runs both a clinic and a pharmacy. The discussion focused on the current challenges facing Canada’s healthcare system and explored potential solutions to address the growing crisis. The conversation began with the long-standing debate around public versus private healthcare, and whether a hybrid or private model could help improve efficiency while maintaining accessibility. Pranay noted that while private options are often discussed, the larger issue lies in the lack of collaboration between policymakers and the medical community.
Pranay argued that one of the root causes of Canada’s healthcare challenges is that politicians and the medical lobby have not worked closely enough to find long-term solutions. He suggested that Canada should better utilize the large number of foreign-trained doctors already living in the country. According to him, immigration authorities know how many internationally trained physicians enter Canada each year, and the government should invest in structured pathways that allow them to transition into the healthcare system more quickly. One idea he proposed was pairing foreign-trained doctors with Canadian-trained physicians so they can gain hands-on experience, learn local standards and eventually complete the required exams to practice.
He also emphasized the need to expand medical education capacity. Canada, he said, is opening new medical schools too slowly to meet the country’s growing demand for doctors. If funding or staffing is a challenge, Pranay suggested that Canadian universities could establish affiliated medical schools abroad that follow Canadian standards, allowing students to train and later qualify to practice in Canada. Finally, he highlighted the contrast within the emergency care system, while paramedics provide excellent and timely care during emergencies, patients often face long delays once they arrive at hospitals due to staffing shortages and systemic bottlenecks. He concluded that meaningful collaboration between policymakers and the medical community will be critical to finding lasting solutions.
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