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