Just a quick comment about Dennis Raphael's statements regarding the
proposed Mandatory guidelines for public health:

I wouldn't be so quick to judge these new guidelines and how they have
come about to date. MANY people have worked extremely hard on this
document, including input from major stakeholders ie. Ontario
Association of Public Health Nutritionists, Health Promotion Ontario
(public health).. the list goes on.. While it may not be exactly what's
in the Ottawa Charter, I believe that a lot of the central themes are
there. If you look closely, healthy public policy is there,
environmental supports etc.

The stakeholders in the process focused in on what is within the
capacity of public health.. things like substance abuse, etc.. is being
done by ARF currently, thus duplication is eliminated. While it is a
little worrisome that holistic health promotion per se is not identified
in the document, I think the work will still get done in the prevention
and promotion areas. Public health has to focus in on the realities of
the current government, which doesn't mean buckling under and giving in,
it just means aligning ourselves appropriately in terms the government
can understand and agree with.

I think things will work out in the end.. actually, the comments around
the non-communicable disease (re: HEALTH PROMOTION - really!!) area have
been quite positive. Talk to lots of health promoters in public health,
and a better picture of thoughts will emerge, rather than an impression
from a document.

Regards,

Alan McFarlane
Tobacco Use Prevention Promoter
Hamilton-Wentworth Regional Public Health Dept.
Member-at-large, Health Promotion Ontario (public health)

"**the opinions expressed by the author do not necessarily represent
those of the HWRPHD"