|
||||||
|
||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
|
||||||
 |
|
|
 |
June 24, 2005 News ReleaseMinisters continue thematic consultations to develop Public Health Goals for CanadaVANCOUVER - Federal Minister of State (Public Health) Carolyn Bennett and Manitoba's Minister Responsible for Healthy Living Theresa Oswald are co-hosting a meeting today on Aboriginal Health as part of an ongoing initiative to develop public health goals for Canada. The event brings together leaders in the fields of Aboriginal health and public health to explore how public policy within the two areas can be aligned to support the communities' efforts to improve the overall health of Aboriginal people. "We have a responsibility and a moral obligation to enable Aboriginal communities to address health barriers, disease threats, and attain health levels comparable to other Canadians," said Minister Bennett. "The true test of the success of our public health goals will be whether or not we are able to achieve this goal. Today is an important part of ensuring the goals are relevant to the Aboriginal community." Ministers Bennett and Oswald have already conducted 13 consultations in communities across Canada in a process designed to produce public health goals that will help make Canada the healthiest country in the world. "Public health is really about looking at the health of our entire population, including, in this case, a specific community that faces significant challenges," said Minister Oswald. " These consultations help us make sure that we are not just bringing governments together but also that we are working directly with the community to support the mental, emotional, physical and spiritual well-being of Aboriginal people." British Columbia 's new Health Minister, George Abbott, will also be in attendance. "Improving the health status of Aboriginal peoples in B.C. is a key priority of our government," said Minister Abbott. "By participating in this public dialogue, we will gain new insight on the health barriers that stand in the way of Aboriginal people fully benefiting from the high quality of life that our province has to offer." This is the third in a series of six meetings, each on a specific subject area related to public health. The themes of these meetings are based on the subject areas of the recently created National Collaborating Centres (NCCs) for Public Health. The NCC for Aboriginal Health, located in British Columbia, works closely with Aboriginal groups and looks at various means and strategies to improve the health status of Canada's Aboriginal citizens. "We will be consulting widely with aboriginal peoples to ensure that we address priority areas," said Dr. Max Blouw, vice-president (research) at the University of Northern British Columbia and lead for the NCC on Aboriginal Health. "I look forward to the outcome of this goal setting exercise as we move forward with our Aboriginal partners to improve the health status of Aboriginal people throughout Canada." In addition to this meeting, roundtables on Environmental Health and Social Determinants of Health have already taken place, and we are planning three additional meetings based on the themes of the other NCCs:
A summary of this meeting along with the results from the other consultations will be posted on the Public Health Goals web site at www.healthycanadians.ca. Additional information on the Canada-wide consultation process and an electronic survey are available on the web site to enable as many Canadians as possible to become directly involved. Elected officials, community groups and non-governmental organizations will also be provided with a public health goals consultation activity guide so they can host roundtables within their own communities. -30- Backgrounder:Media Inquiries: Jean-Mathieu Dion Tricia Geddes Jonathan Hildebrand
|
|
|||
|
Last Updated: 2005-06-24 |  |
|