Message from the Minister of Health
World Asthma Day - May 2, 2006
Asthma is a chronic disease that seriously impacts the lives of many Canadians and their families. Almost three million Canadians have asthma. It is one of the most common chronic diseases in children, affecting more than 15 per cent of children under the age of 11.
World Asthma Day provides us with an opportunity to reflect on the impact of the disease, to consider what has been done to protect those affected by asthma, and what more we need to do.
There are several factors that may exacerbate asthma. These include dust mites, respiratory infections, certain workplace contaminants, air pollutants, and exposure to cigarette smoke.
The Government of Canada is committed to clean air to fight chronic diseases such as asthma. A number of initiatives have been designed to improve air quality, and we are developing a national air quality index that will help better inform Canadians about air pollution and the actions they can take to protect their health.
As Minister of Health, I ask all Canadians to join me on May 2nd in recognizing World Asthma Day and the importance of protecting our respiratory health.
To learn more about how you can take part in World Asthma Day, I encourage you to visit the Global Initiative for Asthma website at  www.ginasthma.com.
Tony Clement
Minister of Health
For more information about asthma, please visit It’s Your Health.
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