News Release

February 3, 2010
For Immediate Release

Government of Canada, Canadian Partnership Against Cancer and The Heart and Stroke Foundation announce action to protect families from chronic diseases

(OTTAWA, ON) – Canada’s Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq, Dr. Simon Sutcliffe, Chair of the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer (CPAC) and Sally Brown, CEO, Heart and Stroke Foundation today announced the launch of seven new and highly innovative cancer chronic disease prevention initiatives. The seven CLASP (Collaboration Linking Science and Action) programs bring together more than 30 groups and agencies to integrate cancer and other chronic disease prevention strategies.

“Our Government is working to fight these chronic diseases which affect millions of Canadians and their families every year, ” said Minister Aglukkaq.  “Working with health partners across the country on innovative prevention methods – especially in vulnerable Aboriginal communities and remote northern regions -- will  help address the root causes of these illnesses.

The CLASP projects will receive a total of $15.5 million in funding over three years. CPAC is providing core funding of $12.5 million, PHAC is providing $2.5 million to support three projects that will help to accelerate chronic disease prevention in Canada, including northern and Aboriginal populations, and  the Heart and Stroke Foundation is providing $500,000 in funding to two of the projects, in addition to being the lead agency for a third.

 “CLASP is the first initiative of its kind to support organizations working together to prevent chronic disease,” said Dr. Simon Sutcliffe, Chair of the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer.  “This team effort – sharing knowledge and driving action to prevent diseases like cancer and heart disease – truly demonstrates that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. We are pleased to have played a leadership role in an initiative with far reaching health benefits for Canadians.”

“The Heart and Stroke Foundation has long demonstrated its commitment to chronic disease prevention” says CEO Sally Brown. “We’re pleased to be involved in this innovative and ground breaking collaborative approach – there’s so much we can achieve by working together.”

CPAC is an independent organization funded by the federal government to accelerate action on cancer control for all Canadians. It works with a wide variety of partners to support the implementation of the Canadian Cancer Control Strategy.  CLASP supports activities which promote healthy living and a  healthy environment including maintaining a healthy body weight, not smoking, and reducing environmental and occupational exposures to toxic substances.  These activities reduce the risk of cancers as well as other chronic diseases such as diabetes, lung disease and heart disease.

The seven projects were identified by CPAC through an independent peer-reviewed process.

A backgrounder outlining the seven projects is attached

Further information can be found at Public Heath Agency of Canada,
www.partnershipagainstcancer.ca and at www.heartandstroke.ca.

Media Inquiries: 

Josée Bellemare
Office of Leona Aglukkaq
Minister of Health
613-957-0200

Public Health Agency of Canada
Media Relations
(613) 941-8189

Canadian Partnership Against Cancer
French:
Lamia Charlebois
(514) 279-4601
lamiette@sympatico.ca

English:
Rachel Sa

416 915 9222
Rachel.sa@partnershipagainstcancer.ca

Eileen Melnick McCarthy
Heart and Stroke Foundation
613.569.4361 ext. 318

 

 

 

Canada's Minister of Health Leona Aglukkaq announces the launch of seven innovative chronic disease prevention programs, supported by $15.5 million from the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, the Public Health Agency of Canada and the Heart and Stroke Foundation