Advisor on Healthy Children and Youth

There are a wide range of federal government policies and programs directed at maintaining and improving the health of Canada's children and youth. The Government of Canada is always interested in examining and improving the federal government's role and in exploring ways to do more to improve the health of Canada's children and youth.

Canada's New Government Taking Action

In March 2007, the Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Health appointed Dr. Khristinn Kellie Leitch as his Advisor on Healthy Children and Youth, to determine how the federal government could best contribute to enhancing the health of Canada's children and youth.

Role of the Advisor on Healthy Children and Youth

As part of her mandate, Dr. Leitch held extensive consultations with federal government departments, stakeholders, experts, provincial and territorial governments, and parents and youth across the country and reviewed existing children and youth health activities and programs, in order to determine their effectiveness, identify gaps and propose new initiatives that would directly impact the health of children and youth.

Dr. Leitch also sought Canadians' input through an online questionnaire on the health issues facing Canada's children and youth which received more than 7200 responses.

Related Information

• Dr. Khristinn Kellie Leitch Biography
• Healthy Canadians
• Reaching for the Top: A Report by the Advisor on Healthy Children and Youth

Printed copies of the report are available from Health Canada's Distribution Centre: publications@hc-sc.gc.ca