Healthier You Expo to Welcome Olympians and Cabinet Ministers

Saturday, October 25, 2008 06:56 AM

PRINCE GEORGE - The second annual 2008 Northern BC "A Healthier You" Expo will host three provincial cabinet ministers to discuss healthy living initiatives in northern British Columbia.

Attorney General and Minister for Multiculturalism Wally Oppal, Health Minister George Abbott and Minister of Healthy Living and Sport Mary Polak will participate in the annual forum held from November 6 to
November 8, 2008 at the Prince George Civic Centre.

"The 'Healthier You' event is a great opportunity for discussion and to provide information that will promote healthy lifestyles and inspire healthier communities," said Prince George-Mount Robson MLA and event
co-host Shirley Bond. "I am very pleased to have three of my colleagues join us to listen and share information on on this important topic."

Minister Wally Oppal will be the keynote speaker at the luncheon on November 7 at noon. The Attorney General will speak about working together to create safe, healthy communities including comment on the
community court model.

Minister Oppal will be joined by Minister Abbott and Minister Polak to do a workshop on healthy communities that will include topics such as mental health addictions, prevention and the need for a coordinated
cross-ministry approach.

The three ministers will also participate in a roundtable hosted by the Immigrant and Multicultural Services Society that will examine the health issues that immigrant families face.

Recently announced additions to the list of guest speakers include Olympian Crispin Lipcomb and former world rowing champion Rachel Jonet (nee Dunnet). Crispin placed eleventh in the snowboard - halfpipe event
at the 2006 Olympic Summer Games in Torino, Italy, is a two-time Canadian Champion, and will compete at the 2010 Olympic Games in Whistler, B.C. Rachel is currently retired but during her career won bronze at the 2003 World Rowing Championships and medaled at the B.C. Summer Games and Western Canada Games. Both Olympic athletes are available thanks to the Royal Bank of Canada.

Previously announced guest speakers include Silken Laumann, Olympic rowing bronze medalist and Dr. Larry Ohlhauser, specialist in healthcare strategies for business and government.

The expo will also include more than 60 health exhibit booths to explore and the Northern BC "A Healthier You" Awards Banquet which will recognize individuals, companies or organizations that have made a
healthy difference in Northern British Columbia.

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