Partners in Public Health

Final Report of the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Special Task Force on Public Health

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March 2005

To: Federal/Provincial/Territorial (F/P/T) Ministers and Deputy Ministers of Health

In the immediate aftermath of the 2003 SARS event, Ministers of Health met to discuss the challenges and impact posed by this transmittable disease, and to chart a course for greater collaboration in public health. The overall goal, as expressed by Ministers in Halifax in September 2003, was to build on public health strengths and successes across the country to enable governments to respond effectively to public health threats, respecting federal, provincial and territorial jurisdictions.

This report is the culmination of efforts of the F/P/T Special Task Force on Public Health to meet the goals set out by Ministers. As it's centrepiece, we recommend the creation of the Pan-Canadian Public Health Network, to enable governments to work together on the day-to-day business of public health and to anticipate, prepare for, and respond to public health events and threats. And second, the development and implementation of principles for an Agreement for Mutual Aid During an Emergency.

We present Partners in Public Health for your consideration. In doing so, we wish to acknowledge and thank our colleaguesa from every province and territory, with whom we have worked closely in developing the contents and recommendations in this report.

Sincerely,

Dr. Perry Kendall, MBBS, MSc, FRCPC Co-Chair Provincial Health Officer, Ministry of Health Planning, Government of British Columbia	Ian Shugart Co-Chair Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Health Canada, Government of Canada

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