December 2003 Vol. 4, no. 12

Fighting the odds
Katherine Marshall and Harold Wynne

Gambling has become a national pastime in Canada and continues to expand. Three-quarters of adult Canadians spent money on some form of gambling in 2002, and the majority did so without problems. However, 1 in 20 people in the adult population were, or had the potential to become, problem gamblers—susceptible to financial or social problems, anxiety or depression, or dependence on alcohol.

Human resources are an important concern for the health care system, and the aging population poses a double challenge as caseloads increase and health workers in the baby boom generation begin retiring. Characteristics and earnings of health workers—professionals, technical personnel, and support personnel—are examined using the 1991 and 2001 censuses. Nurses and doctors are looked at in more detail.

Key labour and income facts

Fact sheets, charts, tables and source contacts.