Last Spring, as part of our MHSc course, Health in Individuals and Communities,
we invited Debbie Field of Foodshare to address our students.

She pointed out that of the entire 50+ public health departments in Ontario, only
one, The Toronto Public Health Department, had issued a public
statement that the Harris government's 22% welfare cuts -- now 'celebrating' its
first anniversary -- constituted a health threat to adults and the 500,000 children in
Ontario receiving welfare.  The effects would be primarily related to the effects of
poor nutrition.

She also commented that if public health units thought that such advocacy would
be related to their having their budgets cuts, and were therefore hesitant to so
advocate, they were living in a fool's paradise:  If the government decided to cut
spending on public health, they were going to do it anyway, whether they
advocated or  not!.

[I don't recall a public message from the Chief Medical Officer of Ontario about the
welfare cuts either, though all of these poor children would be at least be
vaccinated against hepatitis B.]

A year prior, Gerald Kennedy -- then director of the Daily Bread Food Bank
addressed medical students and commented that if 150,000 Ontario residents were
diagnosed with tuberculosis there would be declared a medical emergency with
associated government action unparalleled in this country.  Yet, as he stated: "I'm
not a doctor, but it seems to be that for the 150,000 people using metro food banks,
it can't be healthy for them to be depending on food banks to eat every month."

Is advocacy "real" health promotion?  Does the "public" in public  health include
welfare recipients?

Have a good day.

Dennis Raphael, Ph.D., C.Psych.
Associate Professor
University of Toronto
Division of Community Health
Faculty of Medicine
Department of Behavioural Science
McMurrich Building, Room 101
Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8
Tel: (416) 978-7567
Fax: (416) 978-2087
E-Mail: [log in to unmask]