Do the programs and payments vary by province or or township, or are they uniform throughout the nation?
* They vary by Province, but there is a Federal program that adds a few bucks depending on how many children people have.


Is there a program similar to the Food Stamp program in the USA that provides for routine, non-emergency assistance to purchase food?
* People can get emergency assistance by going to a Social Assistance office. But mileage may vary.

Is your national healthcare system uniform, such that medical benefits are the same for your entire citizenry?
* The medicare program: we pay about $90/month for a family and about $60/month single. The services are uniform across Canada. However, people if they wish can 'upgrade' from a room that is shared to a single room (space permitting) but they have to pay the difference in cost. That is where work medical programs come in. Families on welfare are deemed to have paid their Medicare benefits.

Is the funding entirely from federal dollars, or do provinces also kick in money from more local taxes?
* (From Wiki which explains it fairly well) Canada's healthcare system provides diagnostic, treatment and preventive services to every Canadian regardless of income level or station in life.

Each province in Canada manages its own healthcare system. For example, each province issues its own healthcare identification cards and negotiates with the federal government for money to cover healthcare costs. Each province also provides its own prescription drug benefit plan, available to every Canadian regardless of income level. The prescription drug benefit is, however, adjusted for income, with a higher co-payment required for those with higher personal incomes. The prescription drug benefit is very comprehensive and rarely excludes a medication. Where a medication is excluded that is needed by a patient, the patient applies for coverage under the plan for that drug using a Section 8 form.