March 29, 2005
For Immediate Release

News Release

Ministers Launch National Consultations to Develop Public Health Goals for Canada

WINNIPEG - Federal Minister of State for Public Health, Carolyn Bennett and Manitoba Minister of Healthy Living, Theresa Oswald announced today a Canada-wide consultation to develop public health goals for Canada.

At the First Ministers' Meeting in September 2004, the Prime Minister and the Premiers signed a 10-year action plan that will lead to better health care for all Canadians. Part of this plan included a commitment to establishing health goals in order to improve the health of Canadians and reduce the pressure on the health care system. The First Ministers committed to establishing these health goals and targets through a collaborative process with experts and the Canadian public.

Federal, provincial and territorial governments have agreed to work together to improve the health status of Canadians by developing public health goals. The goal-setting exercise will demonstrate work being done by all jurisdictions in various area of public health, and provide a framework to help align efforts. Ministers Bennett and Oswald have agreed to lead the process, with support from a reference group of provincial and territorial representatives and public health experts, as well as a working group made up of federal, provincial and territorial representatives.

"Keeping as many Canadians healthy for as long as possible means looking beyond health departments to broader determinants of health, such as poverty, violence, the environment, shelter, education and equity," said Minister Bennett. "Involving Canadians in this process will ensure the goals we set will be relevant, responsive and will increase our understanding of the complexity of health."

Many provincial and territorial governments have identified health goals for their jurisdictions. This process will build on this work as well as the experiences and knowledge of countries like Sweden, the United States, England and Australia that have established health goals for their countries.

"We all have a contribution to make in improving the health of Canadians, whether it's in our homes, our schools, our communities or our workplaces," said Minister Oswald. "To strengthen our health care system we have to take a serious look at how decisions are made on issues that can influence our health; things like housing, childcare and employment. These are difficult questions and that's why we need to get Canadians involved in the process."

The consultations include roundtable meetings in each province and territory. Ministers Bennett and Oswald will host the roundtables with 25-30 public health stakeholders, experts and concerned Canadians. The first roundtables will take place in Winnipeg (March 29th), Toronto (March 30th), Regina (March 31st), Edmonton (April 1st) and Prince George (April 3rd).

Summaries of these meetings will be posted on a Public Health Goals web site at http://www.healthycanadians.ca . Additional information for Canadians will be available on the web site, giving Canadians the opportunity to become directly involved in the process.

A series of events will also be hosted across the country on specific public health themes related to the six new National Collaborating Centres for Public Health, as well as a youth summit.

Elected officials, community groups and non-governmental organizations will also be provided with a public health goals consultation activity guide so that they can host roundtables within their own communities.

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Backgrounder:

• Public Health Goals Consultations

Media Inquiries:

Jean-Mathieu Dion
Public Health Agency of Canada
(613) 948-7070

Tricia Geddes
Office of the Minister of State for Public Health,
Carolyn Bennett
(613) 299-6940

Jonathan Hildebrand
Office of the Minister of Healthy Living,
Theresa Oswald
(204) 945-1494