HEMSC rpt 1 2007

The Health and Emergency Medical Services Committee advises Council of the following matters having been considered by Health and Emergency Medical Services Committee with the following action:

ELECTION OF CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR

1. The Health and Emergency Medical Services Committee elected Regional Councillor J. Frustaglio and Regional Councillor J. Heath as Chair and Vice-Chair respectively for the year 2007.

PRESENTATION

2. Joanne Simmons, Commissioner of Community Services, Housing and Health Services regarding Health Services Department Program Initiatives. Received with direction to Staff to prepare a report with recommendations on a strategy for advocating that Dental Care for Seniors become a provincially mandated program, including the potential for the Region to undertake a pilot project.

COMMUNICATIONS

[The following links open .pdf files of the Communications]

3. Lois Griffin, Chair, Humber Watershed Alliance, October 3, 2006, regarding Safe Disposal of Pharmaceuticals. Received and referred to Staff.

4. Regional Councillor J. Frustaglio, January 10, 2007 resolution regarding Smoke-Free Canada. Recommended for endorsement as follows:

WHEREAS tobacco smoking is the number one preventable cause of premature

death and illness in Canada, accounting for approximately 47,000 deaths in

Canada each year;

AND WHEREAS the World Health Organization and Health Canada agree that

second-hand smoke is carcinogenic to humans, causing more than 1,000 deaths

per year in non-smokers in Canada;

AND WHEREAS the estimated annual costs of second-hand smoking in

Canada is $1.1 billion, this representing health care costs for adults and

children, and costs related to lost revenue due to premature deaths;

AND WHEREAS 15% of Canadians are exposed to second-hand smoke in

places other than their own home, 13% almost every day, 37% at least once a

week;

AND WHEREAS on October 26, 2000, York Region Council enacted By-Law

No. A-0285-2000-105, A By-Law to Regulate the Smoking of Tobacco in Public

Places and Workplaces in the Regional Municipality of York;

AND WHEREAS the Smoke-Free Ontario Act, 2005 prohibits smoking in

enclosed workplaces and enclosed public places in Ontario;

AND WHEREAS, in Canada, all provinces and territories have some form of

legislation that prohibits and/or restricts smoking in public places and

workplaces, with the exception of Yukon Territory;

AND WHEREAS nine countries around the world (Ireland, Norway, New

Zealand, Italy, Sweden, England, India, Uganda and Bhutan) have

comprehensive smoke-free laws;

AND WHEREAS further countries are demonstrating leadership in the

development of smoke-free legislation, most recently France, which will be

implementing smoke-free workplaces beginning February 2007 and smoke-free

restaurants beginning January 2008;

AND WHEREAS the Government of Canada, which may exercise its jurisdiction

over environmental and workplace health issues, should establish itself as a

leader in smoke-free legislation;

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Council of the Regional

Municipality of York urge the federal Government of Canada to join other leading

countries in the world and enact legislation to make all Public Places and

Workplaces (Indoor) in Canada smoke-free;

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Regional Clerk distribute this

resolution to the Prime Minister of Canada, the Federal Minister of Health, the

Premier of Ontario, the Provincial Minister of Health and the Federation of

Canadian Municipalities.

OTHER BUSINESS

5. Dr. K. Kurji provided a verbal report on the SARS Commission Final Report. A further report will be provided to the Committee at a future meeting.

The Health and Emergency Medical Services Committee adjourned at 3:35 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

January 11, 2007 J. Frustaglio

Newmarket, Ontario Chair

(Report No. 1 of the Health and Medical Services Committee was adopted, without amendment, by Regional Council at its meeting held on January 25, 2007.)

S. Neill

(905) 830-4444 x 1305