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Welcome
I
am pleased to welcome you to our website.
It was truly a privilege to accept the Premier’s appointment
in September 2006 to chair the Healthy Child Committee of Cabinet
as it leads the work of Healthy Child Manitoba (HCM), the Government
of Manitoba’s long-term, cross-departmental prevention strategy
for putting children and families first. Healthy Child is the
only cabinet committee in Canada that is dedicated to children
and youth. At the heart of HCM are long-term partnerships with
communities to create a shift in how we think about public policy,
how we work together as a government, and how we serve Manitoba
families and their children. Our vision is a new era where the
best interests of our children are at the centre of everything
we do as a government and as a province.
I am also pleased to be Manitoba's Minister of Healthy Living. We know that the best illness prevention
and health promotion begins early, from the prenatal period to kindergarten.
Manitobans understand that early childhood experiences have significant
impacts on health throughout a person's life. This understanding
is central to the work of our province's Healthy Kids, Healthy Futures
task force, an all-party collaboration based on a shared, nonpartisan
belief in the importance of investing in healthy child development.
Traditional knowledge, new research, and community voices agree
that no single department or area can meet the holistic needs
of children and youth as they grow up. We continue our commitment
to working together to bridge the historical barriers that have
long stood within government and building healthy, strong communities
for Manitobans and their families. We are developing child-centred
public policy to help our young people develop to their fullest
potential, as healthy, safe, lifelong learners and socially engaged
and responsible citizens.
I invite you to read the messages of the Healthy Child Ministers
and support their dedication to Manitoba's children and youth. Please
feel free to explore the HCM website as it develops and builds upon
its vast potential for sharing knowledge about growing healthy children
through community development. On behalf of the Healthy Child Committee
of Cabinet, I encourage you to join us in building the best possible
outcomes for all of Manitoba's children.
The Honourable Kerri Irvin-Ross
Chair, Healthy Child Committee of Cabinet
Minister of Healthy Living
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