Last week our health department had to make a decision about whether to
endorse a national campaign which was putting a two page ad in the Globe
and Mail to advocate for national legislation based on our Tobacco Control
Blueprint.  After extensive deliberation, our health department decided
not to endorse the advertisement (although we endorsed in indirectly
through our local council on smoking and health).

Our decision was swayed by the fact
that we work in a regional government and did not have explicit political
direction to do this, and by the fact that the text of the ad was somewhat
inflammatory and targeted the Prime Minister.

As a result of this situation, I now have been given the task to develop a
departmental policy and procedure on political advocacy on health issues.
I am interested in knowing if others have such a policy and procedure or a
checklist of items that they use before making an advocacy decision.  Have
other people had similar dilemmas and how did you resolve them?

Tracey
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Tracey E. Taylor, B.A., M.A.Sc.
Coordinator, Tobacco & Substance Abuse Prevention Programs
Hamilton-Wentworth Regional Public Health Department
P.O. Box 897, Hamilton, ON  L8N 3P6
ph: (905) 546-3573  fax: (905) 528-2205
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