May 2004

Information

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Why a new Agency?

A. The Agency is being created in response to growing concerns about the capacity of Canada's public health system to anticipate and respond effectively to public health threats. The SARS outbreak, the spread of West Nile disease, and other events, along with the rise of chronic illness, have underscored the urgency for decisive action. The Agency and the Chief Public Health Officer will provide a clear focal point for federal leadership and accountability in managing public health emergencies.

Q. When will this new agency be in business?

A. A process for selecting the new Chief Public Health Officer will begin in the weeks to come. Once the new Chief Public Health Officer is in place, the work of the Public Health Agency of Canada will commence.

Q. How is this new Agency different from what Health Canada does now?

A. The creation of the new Agency, and its relationship to the new National Collaborating Centres, will significantly improve our national preparedness for public health emergencies while strengthening overall national public health capacity. Improvements will result from more timely and effective responses to potential public health threats by virtue of having the CPHO report to Canadians through the Minister of Health and by virtue of strengthened linkages with scientific and academic partners.

Q. Who has been consulted on the design of this new Agency?

A. The blueprint for building the new Public Health Agency of Canada came from the reports issued by the Special Committee on SARS and Public Health chaired by Dr. David Naylor and by the Senate Standing Committee on Public Health chaired by Senator Michael Kirby. Both committees based their recommendations on input from public health experts and concerned Canadians.

In addition, the working group responsible for developing options for the Agency convened an informal group of independent experts to provide advice. They consulted with senior provincial and territorial health officials. In addition, the Minister of State for Public Health conducted more than 30 consultations on the Agency with her federal/provincial/territorial counterparts, parliamentarians and public health stakeholders from across the country, and she established a public website to enable interested Canadians to share their views on the initiative. The working group took account of the results of these deliberations and inputs.

Q. How will the new Agency report to the Canadian public on its progress?

A. In addition to the standard reporting requirements of all federal government entities, the Agency will publish an annual report to Canadians on: its activities and spending; the state of the public health system; the health of Canadians, by vulnerable population group and major disease category; whether or not things are improving, and why; and emerging public health issues and their implications. The new Agency will also develop mechanisms that embed the concept of citizen engagement "into its DNA."

Q. How will this new Agency work with the provinces and territories to effectively manage public health in Canada?

A. Flowing from a federal/provincial/territorial Health Ministers meeting in September 2003, where all jurisdictions committed to working together to improve public health across the country, the new Agency, the position of Chief Public Health Officer and the Pan-Canadian Public Health Network are designed to strengthen intergovernmental collaboration on public health and to facilitate national approaches to public health policy and planning. A key mechanism for this collaboration is the creation of a federal/provincial/territorial working group for public health.

Q. What is a Pan-Canadian Public Health Network?

A. Federal, provincial and territorial governments have begun working together to establish a network that will function as a comprehensive mechanism for intergovernmental collaboration, coordination, communication and clarity, as well as joint policy development on public health issues.

Q. What is the mandate / role and responsibilities of the new Chief Public Health Officer?

A. The CPHO's responsibilities will be to:

1. Act as the leader and manager of the new Public Health Agency of Canada.
2. Coordinate the federal government's policies, programs and services in the area of public health.
3. Provide advice to Ministers and, as appropriate, work with provincial/territorial governments, the international community, and the public health community and Canadians on public health issues.
4. Assume the role of the federal government's lead Agency spokesperson on public health issues, particularly emergencies.
5. Play a leadership/advocacy role in national public health matters and citizen engagement in public health.

Q. Who will the Acting CPHO report to?

A. Dr. Plummer will retain his responsibilities as Scientific Director of the Winnipeg Lab and Director General of Health Canada's Centre for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control while holding this acting position and will continue to report to Scott Broughton, Assistant Deputy Minister, Population and Public Health Branch, in both those capacities.

Q. In what way do the National Collaborating Centres add value to the public health system in Canada?

A. The National Collaborating Centres for Public Health will provide national focal points for key priority areas in public health, building on established regional expertise. They will accelerate the development and implementation in public health practice of new research findings and best practices.