Focus on Keeping New Canadians Healthy

Saturday, October 20, 2007 01:38 PM

Prince George, B.C. - A joint ActNow BC and WelcomeBC campaign aimed at promoting healthy living among multicultural and immigrant communities in B.C. was launched today at the Northern Regional Multicultural Health Fair by Attorney General and Minister responsible for Multiculturalism Wally Oppal .

(at left, Attorney General Wally Oppal addresses the Multicultural Health Fair at the Prince George Civic Centre. photo opinion250staff)

Oppal says B.C. welcomed some 42 thousand immigrants last year, making it the second highest intake in Canada, next only to Ontario.

As the Province pushes towards improving health and promoting an active lifestyle, Oppal says immigrants often aren't aware fo the health and recreation opportunities in their new communities.

"Healthy eating and healthy lifestyles are key components to creating healthy communities," said Oppal. "The healthy living campaign will encourage newcomers to maintain their good health and take advantage of the many recreational activities available in their communities."

The initiative includes new posters and bookmarks encouraging healthy and active lifestyles for seniors and youth, a new English as a second language for adults (ELSA) curriculum on healthy living and a new, health-focused website www.amssa.org/healthyliving.

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Posted on Saturday, October 20, 2007 01:38 PM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: camoose on October 20 2007 2:37 PM

How about a focus to keep ALL Canadians healthy??

Posted by: Andyfreeze on October 20 2007 2:47 PM

"multicultural and immigrant communities"?
I hope Wally Oppal is better at helping to keep ALL people healthy, than he is at putting criminals in jail!!!

Posted by: Chester on October 20 2007 4:20 PM

I'm pleased to see a healthy living campaign for anyone and everyone. Congratulations. Chester

Posted by: ammonra on October 20 2007 4:37 PM

Campaigns to improve health and keep people healthy are very welcome. What about those who are already unhealthy, though? Are they to be ignored? Are they to be shoved on one side because of the costs?

There are many people already unhealthy in our province, and they need more than words and more than programs targeted at the healthy. They need help, including improved access to surgery.

The biggest waiting list in this province is for weight loss surgery. The one surgeon in BC who does it has a list of 683 at the beginning of October, and that is just for people who he has approved for surgery. It does not include those waiting to see him, or those who need the surgery but have not asked for it yet.

How many have to die before the minister of health services pulls his finger out?

Posted by: YamaDooPolCat on October 21 2007 7:54 AM

Wally Oppal doesn't look that healthy. I wonder if politians have a very healthy lifestyle? Doesn't sound very good.

Posted by: chickenbus on October 21 2007 8:41 AM

How about those who have lived a very healthy life style? Those who always cycled, hiked, walked, swam, never gained weight, never smoked or ate vein clogging foods? - those who have used almost nothing of the medical system?

When they need medical care to KEEP their healthy-life styles, it is not available!

What crap. Spend some money in opening beds in the hospitals.

Posted by: Andyfreeze on October 21 2007 9:24 AM

I have learned over the years that most of what politicans tell us is designed to achieve a desired result from the public,for a specific reason.
And it is not always as it seems.
I also think most of us understand that, but sometimes I do wonder!
Unfortunately,it isn't always about democracy and doing what is right for the people.
Much of the spin is self-serving.
As my father said after the war;:
"All politicians are liars...however,not all liars are politicans"!
So when one of these guy's gets up on his self-rightous soap box,I take it with a grain of salt.
There is ALWAYS an ulterior motive of some sort.
Wonder what Wally's is?

Posted by: Andyfreeze on October 21 2007 9:26 AM

In this case,I think distraction from the REAL issues in healthcare, just might be the reason!

Posted by: Chester on October 21 2007 9:45 AM

The huge hospital expansion in PG a few years back didn't add beds. We do have a fine administrative area now to track the shortage of beds though. Chester

Posted by: Bridge on October 21 2007 9:56 AM

Andyfreeze, you missed the first reason why politicians give us all these lies and that would be to get re-elected. There are those who will eat thier garbage.

Cheers

Posted by: Andyfreeze on October 21 2007 10:35 AM

Oh, I didn't forget that Bridge!
That's a given, and probably doesn't need defining to most of the voters but you never know.
It's the other less obvious reasons that are a bit harder to figure out!
"eat their own garbage"...now that is a good way to put it!
Can I use that??
:-)

Posted by: supertech on October 22 2007 6:04 PM

I can't believe he targeted immigrants! What happened to seniors and sick children and all people in BC? That sucks big time! He should get the hell out of politics for that one. So should Gordo if he put Wally up to it.

Posted by: Andyfreeze on October 23 2007 12:32 PM

It seems to me that Wally Oppal really hasn't done much in his stint as Attorney
General.
Everytime I see this guy on the news,he is telling us what he CAN"T do and very little else!
Just a lot of blah,blah,blah,like a typical poltician but no substance!
We can do much better!