July 5, 2005
For Immediate Release

News Release

Ministers continue thematic consultations to develop Public Health Goals for Canada

Toronto - Federal Minister of State (Public Health) Carolyn Bennett and Theresa Oswald, Manitoba's Minister Responsible for Healthy Living, are co-hosting a meeting today on public health methodologies and tools and their relationship to the development of pan-Canadian public health goals for Canada.

The event brings together leaders in the fields of health methodology and public health to explore how public policy within the two areas can be aligned to promote collaboration and partnerships among organizations.

Central to this event will be the mandate of the National Collaborating Centre for Public Health Methodologies and Tools Development, which will focus its work on knowledge synthesis and the translation of concepts, information, systems, and tools that will facilitate better use of, and access to, public health information.

“The new National Collaborating Centre on public health methodologies will help us improve the decision making capacity of policy, program and professionals in the public health system ,” said Minister Bennett. “Today's roundtable will discuss how this theme fits into the establishment of public health goals for all Canadians.”

Ministers Bennett and Oswald have already conducted 15 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.

“A working public health system is not possible without clear translation and communication of health information ,” said Minister Oswald. “ This consultation will help us further understand, develop and enhance the tools we need for all levels of government to share information, with the goal of advancing public health in Canada.”

This is the fifth 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.

“Public health methodologies and tools are key supports for public health practitioners and decision-makers,” said NCC lead Phil Jackson. “The creation of the National Collaborating Centre for Public Health Methodologies and Tools provides a unique opportunity for bridging the gap between research, practice and policies by enhancing and supporting information sharing, networks and collaboration across Canada.”

In addition to this meeting, roundtables on Environmental Health, Social Determinants of Health, Aboriginal Health and Infectious Disease have already taken place. One additional meeting is planned, based on the theme of the National Collaborating Centre on Public Policy and Risk Assessment.

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.phac-aspc.gc.ca/hgc-osc/. 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 in the development of Public Health goals for Canada.

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

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Backgrounder

• Public Health Goals Consultations

Jean-Mathieu Dion
Public Health Agency of Canada
(613) 948-7970 

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

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