The country will mark Canada Health Day on May 12, so CMAJ asked Dr. Michael Gordon to reflect on Canada's health care system and the changes it has seen and will see. The special day, cosponsored by the Canadian Public Health Association, is designed to highlight "the need for better communication between health professionals and the communities they serve." In this article, Gordon reflects on the dangers facing Canada's medicare system and the need to protect it from the inroads threatened by privatization.