December 2, 2004 For immediate release OTTAWA - The Honourable Ujjal Dosanjh, Minister of Health, is pleased to announce today Canada's ratification of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). The FCTC is the first-ever global public health treaty. It is designed to protect present and future generations from the health and economic consequences of tobacco consumption and exposure to second-hand smoke by strengthening tobacco control initiatives around the world. "Canada is a world leader in tobacco control," said Minister Dosanjh. "I am proud to say that Canada's strong legislation and regulations inspired many of the Articles in the Convention. The FCTC is, in fact, based on a Canadian idea. "In many cases Canada already meets, and exceeds, the requirements of the Convention." The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control has the potential to improve the health and well-being of millions of people around the world. Tobacco use is the world's leading cause of preventable illness, disability, and premature death. Globally, 4.9 million people die each year from tobacco-related illness, including 45,000 Canadians. To announce the ratification, Minister Dosanjh was joined by forty Kingston-area students who have been advocates for the Convention. "It is appropriate that Canada, which sees itself as a world leader on the war on tobacco, has taken the historic step of ratifying the FCTC and has joined 39 other countries in setting an example for the world," said Jialin Guo, a student at Kingston Collegiate and Vocational Institute. "This is an important victory for people around the world who have long been exposed to the dangers of the tobacco trade." The FCTC was adopted by member countries of the World Health Organization at the World Health Assembly on May 21, 2003, following almost three years of negotiations. Through ratifying the FCTC, Canada becomes a member of the Conference of Parties and will play an active role in the implementation and management of the Convention. Forty countries have now ratified the treaty, and it will come into force on February 28, 2005. The Provincial and Territorial Ministers of Health have all indicated their support for the FCTC and reaffirmed their continued commitment to work collectively to addressing the public health consequences of tobacco consumption. Canada has invested heavily in terms of leadership, funding and hard work in domestic and international tobacco control efforts over many years. The Convention recognizes that effective tobacco control requires not only comprehensive, consistent and sustained domestic efforts around the world, but also strong, coordinated international efforts. Canada fully supports the FCTC because it is consistent with and advances Canada's domestic efforts, which are guided by the Federal Tobacco Control Strategy. The Strategy includes a combination of tobacco control efforts in protection, prevention and cessation and harm reduction initiatives, including mass media campaign support for the Strategy's objectives. Canada fully supports the FCTC because it is consistent with and advances Canada's domestic efforts, which are guided by the Federal Tobacco Control Strategy. The Strategy includes a combination of tobacco control efforts in protection, prevention and cessation and harm reduction initiatives, including mass media campaign support for the Strategy's objectives. -30- Media Inquiries: Catherine Saunders Health Canada (613) 946-4250 Adèle Blanchard Office of the Minister of Health (613) 957-0200 Public Inquiries: (613) 957-2991
