A Message from the Minister of
State (Public Health)
Clean Air Day - June 8, 2005
As Minister of State for Public Health, I join all Canadians in celebrating
community action on clean air and climate change, on Clean Air Day, June 8th. I am also pleased
to be participating in the 200th Walking Wednesday at Maurice Cody Public School in my riding, a
walking school bus that promotes healthier students, cleaner air and safer streets.
Since the Government of Canada created Clean Air Day in 1999, Canadians from coast-to-coast have
marked this day to raise awareness about air quality and take action for a healthier planet.
Clean air and climate change are two of the most critical environmental issues facing our world
today. They are two of the Government of Canada's top priorities. At Health Canada and the Public
Health Agency, we continue to conduct leading-edge research on the effects of air quality and climate
change on human health, with the aim to provide sound science on which effective public policy can
be based.
Our goals for health and the environment involve the cooperation of all levels of government, industry,
communities and every individual. We all must work together to improve the quality of our air.
One of the events being organized by the Government of Canada on Clean Air Day is the Commuter Challenge
- a sustainable transportation challenge that encourages people to get out of their single-occupant
vehicle and to walk, bike, carpool or take public transit. High school students in Manitoba and B.C.,
for example, have taken up this challenge through their "off ramp" campaign, which encourages
alternative means of commuting to and from school.
By choosing active or sustainable transportation options, we can do a lot for our health, our communities
and our pocketbooks. For example: walking and cycling can help you get the 30 to 60 minutes of daily
exercise recommended by Health Canada; fewer cars on the road equals less traffic congestion and
safer, healthier communities; and the less fossil fuels you burn, like oil and gas, the more money
you save.
Canadians can also take up the Government of Canada's One Tonne Challenge to help reduce individual
greenhouse gas emissions by 20%, or one tonne. To find out more about this challenge, visit:
Together, our actions can make a difference - by improving our health, preserving our ecosystems
and fostering the competitiveness of our economy. For more information, visit:
Carolyn Bennett
Minister of State (Public Health)
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