Days on the Hill 2009
Ottawa — May 4 to 5, 2009
The Canadian Dental Association recently concluded a highly successful round of meetings and consultations with parliamentarians in Ottawa. This year's "Days on the Hill" provided a forum for advocates of CDA to discuss issues of importance to Canadian dentistry with parliamentary leadership. In total, 25 members of parliament were reached.
Days on the Hill is organized to keep oral health issues high on the government's agenda. The personal meetings are an ideal venue for CDA to communicate its initiatives, strategies and positions with party leaders, critics, parliamentary secretaries and committee members who influence decision-making on Parliament Hill.
CDA Participants
Noteworthy meetings
The Issues
Related Information
CDA Participants
CDA officers, members of the CDA Committee on Government Relations and Public Advocacy and CDA staff attended these meetings on behalf of CDA. The Committee on Government Relations and Public Advocacy is responsible for ensuring a consistent approach in CDA's messaging to government, media and the public on national oral health issues.
CDA officers:
- Dr. Don Friedlander, president
- Dr. Ron Smith, president-elect
- Dr. Robert MacGregor, vice-president
CDA Committee on Government Relations and Public Advocacy:
- Dr. Phil Poon, chair
- Dr. Thomas Raddall III
- Dr. K.K. Wan
CDA employees:
- Claude Paul Bovin, executive director
- Andrew Jones, director of public affairs
- Charlotte Logan, coordinator of government relations
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Noteworthy meetings
CDA was able to arrange meetings with the following senior level officials:
The Issues
CDA's 2009 Days on the Hill meetings focused on the following issues:
1. Seniors’ Oral Health
CDA met with members of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Human Resources and Skills Development and the Senate Special Committee on Aging to educate them on seniors’ oral health, brief them on the 2008 pre-budget submission to the Minister of Finance and the Canada Health Measures Survey (CHMS), and to ask for their support of the CDA position on Funding of Health and Dental Care.
CDA proposed the creation of a Personal Wellness Investment Fund from 2005 to 2007 and was pleased to see that the 2008 Budget included the Tax Free Savings Account (TFSA). CDA is waiting for the release of the CHMS, as once that happens we will know a great deal more about the oral health of Canada’s seniors and will welcome some healthy public debate on the issue.
Meetings held with:
2. Oral Health Care
CDA met with members of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health to discuss the positive work of Health Canada’s Office of the Chief Dental Officer, including the CHMS. CDA meets regularly with members of the Standing Committee on Health. In 2004, CDA advocated for the creation of an appropriately funded Office of the Chief Dental Officer within Health Canada, and for the collection of statistical oral health indicators. CDA is awaiting the release of the CHMS and what it will mean for the public policy debate surrounding oral health care.
Meetings held with:
3. Competition
CDA held meetings with members of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology regarding the Competition Bureau’s ongoing study of competition in dentistry. CDA will send its response to the study to members of the committee when the study is released.
Meetings held with:
- Marc Garneau, Liberal Industry, Science and Technology critic
- Anthony Rota, vice-chair of the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology
- Dave Van Kesteren, member of the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology
- Mike Wallace, member of the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology
Resources:
CDA leave behind document provided to parliamentary representatives during meetings. (PDF 70 KB)
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Related Information
Related Government of Canada websites:
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(L. to r.) Dr. Don Friedlander, CDA president, with the right honourable Stephen Harper, the Prime Minister of Canada. |
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(L. to r.) Mr. Andrew Jones, CDA director of public affairs, Dr. Don Friedlander, CDA president, the right honourable Stephen Harper, the Prime Minister of Canada, Dr. Ronald Smith, CDA president-elect, and Mr. Claude Paul Boivin, CDA executive director. |
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(L. to r.) Mr. Andrew Jones, CDA director of public affairs, Dr. Don Friedlander, CDA president, the honourable Michael Ignatieff (leader of the opposition), Dr. Ronald Smith, CDA president-elect, and Mr. Claude Paul Boivin, CDA executive director.
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(L. to r.) Mr. Claude Paul Boivin, CDA executive director, Dr. Ronald Smith, CDA president-elect, the honourable Jack Layton, leader of the NDP, Dr. Don Friedlander, CDA president, and Mr. Andrew Jones, CDA director of public affairs.
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(L. to r.) Mr. Claude Paul Boivin, CDA executive director, Dr. Ronald Smith, CDA president-elect, dentist Dr. Harold Albrecht, deputy Conservative whip, Dr. Don Friedlander, CDA president, and Mr. Andrew Jones, CDA director of public affairs.
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(L. to r.) Mr. Claude Paul Boivin, CDA executive director, Dr. Don Friedlander, CDA president, Dr. Ronald Smith, CDA president-elect, and Mr. Andrew Jones, CDA director of public affairs.
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