RT profession’s official birth in Canada

1960s

With the RT profession’s official birth in Canada circa 1964, this was also an important decade for Respiratory Therapy. In addition to the Canadian debut of RTs, Brian Arthur Sellick published an influential paper in the Lancet describing “cricoid pressure”. The Canadian Society of Inhalation Therapy Technicians (CSITT) was also formed and Canadian Medicare was put into effect.

The 1960s saw Beatlemania and Woodstock Festival, while new TV shows included Star Trek, Gilligan’s Island & the Flintstones. Canada adopted the maple leaf flag, O Canada became the national anthem and official Social Insurance Cards were issued across the country. The silver screen became more adventurous, releasing films like Psycho and Goldfinger, while still churning out great family movies such as Mary Poppins.

1961

• Brian Arthur Sellick publishes a paper in the Lancet describing “cricoid pressure”

1964

• Canadian Respiratory Therapy is born in Montreal, Quebec
• The Canadian Society of Inhalation Therapy Technicians (CSITT) forms

1967

• First Heart Transplant

1968

• Canadian Medicare put into effect