Premier Advocates for Health Promotion

Nova Scotia's leading role in the promotion of healthy living was recognized today, Sept. 14, when Premier John Hamm was asked to speak on the subject at the First Ministers' Meeting in Ottawa.

The premier spoke to Prime Minister Paul Martin and other Canadian premiers about the Office of Health Promotion and the work being done in Nova Scotia to build a healthier province.

"I am very pleased to be asked to speak about an initiative that is so important to me, and to all Nova Scotians," said Premier Hamm. "It's encouraging to see our province recognized as a leader in health promotion and the prevention of illness and injury."

The Office of Health Promotion was established in December 2002 To date, Nova Scotia is the only province with an established cabinet level voice and a separate budget, uncompromised by acute care, for health promotion.

The premier is asking three things of the federal government to sustain the health-care system in the future:

• A co-ordinated federal voice for health promotion to allow Canadians to easily access the services they need;
• Sustainable long-term funding for health promotion;
• Continued existing funding that has proven successful for health promotion initiatives. Without the federal tobacco cessation funding over the past three years, Nova Scotia would not have reduced its smoking rates from the highest in Canada to the national average, in three short years, he said.

Nova Scotia has the highest rates of chronic disease in Canada, most of which are preventable. The premier urged the federal government to increase its investment in a comprehensive national cancer control strategy.