advocacy

OSNPPH Executive, on behalf of its membership, advocates and responds to various issues that lead to advancement of the public health nutrition agenda. Some of the advocacy efforts are in the form of external correspondence. Browse through OSNPPH advocacy letters listed by calendar year.

2011

• Letter to Health Canada regarding Proposed Approach to Managing Caffeinated Energy Drinks – November 2011
  
  OSNPPH applauds Health Canada for proposing a comprehensive approach to managing caffeinated energy drinks. We believe that Health Canada’s proposed approach can be further strengthened. A summary of the changes recommended to Health Canada’s proposed approach are detailed below. Further information and rationale with respect to these recommendations are detailed in the body of this report.
  
  
• Letter to Ministry of Health Promotion and Sport regarding support for Nutrition Resource Centre (NRC) - Octomber 2011
  
  A letter to the Ministry of Health Promotion and Sport (MHPS) to encourage the continued support of the Nutrition Resource Centre (NRC), and to request that OSNPPH be invited to provide input into NRC’s strategic planning process.
  • Response from MHPS
  
  
• Call to Action on Food Security
  
  Should we be content that some Ontarians are missing-out on a key opportunity for good health – food security?  Does it cause you pause that annual Nutritious Food Basket surveys repeatedly show that many people with low-incomes – both from wages as well as from assistance -- can’t afford healthy eating after meeting other essentials such as housing?  Are you comfortable that prosperity is being side-tracked and food bank use is substantially increasing? 

  To learn more about solutions you could promote, check-out the “Call to Action on Food Security” toolkit, which has been developed jointly by OPHA’s Food Security Workgroup and the Ontario Society of Nutrition Professionals in Public Health.

  • Food Security Cover Sheet
  • Food Security Key Messages
  • Food Security Key Messages Background

2010

• November 2010
  • OSNPPH Letter regarding PHNCAC (PDF) -
    OSNPPH commends the Ministry of Health Promotion and Sport, and the Chronic Disease Prevention Managers for recognizing the need to examine issues related to public health nutrition capacity in Ontario. We recognize there are health units across the province where recruitment and retention of public health nutritionists and public health dietitians are problematic. The letter makes several recommendations which include having an OSNPPH representative on the Public Health Nutritionist Capacity Advisory Committee (PHNCAC).

• July 2010
  • OSNPPH Letter to Minister Best re: menu labelling (PDF) -
    Restaurant foods have been exempted from these requirements, but the expectation that menu labelling has potential to influence food choices is reflected in recent legislative activities. Of particular pertinence is Section 2572, Nutrition Labelling of Standard Menu Items at Chain Restaurants, to come into effect next year as part of the Affordable Health Care for America Act, and the Ontario private members bill re-introduced on June 2, “Healthy Decisions for Health Eating Act”.
    • Response from Minister Best on menu labelling [PDF]

• June 2010
  • OSNPPH Letter to Food Directorate re: caffeine regulations (PDF) -
    On behalf of the Ontario Society of Nutrition Professionals in Public Health (OSNPPH), we are writing to the Food Directorate to express our concerns about the introduction of caffeine and caffeine citrate in non-cola carbonate beverages (i.e., carbonated soft drinks) and to urge labelling regulations, should this change in current caffeine formulation regulations occur.

• May 2010
  • Letter to Minister Aglukkaq regarding leadership in protecting children from commercial marketing at the World Health Assembly and in Canada (PDF) -
    OSNPPH urges the Minister to champion the health and well-being of children in the World Health Assembly talks, and enact strong measures in Canada to protect children from commercial marketing, including the three-quarters of Canadian children living outside of Quebec who do not have the benefit of that province’s Consumer Protection Act.
  • Regarding Caffeine Recommendation in Best Start Resource (PDF) -
    OSNPPH is requesting Best Start consider changing their caffeine during pregnancy recommendation back to 300 mg to align with the current Health Canada (Public Health Agency of Canada) recommendation.

• April 2010
  • Response from Laurel Broten re: Day Nurseries Act letter (PDF) -
    The Ministry acknowledges our letter and concerns and states that Ministry staff will be in touch to discuss our recommendations.
  • Response Letter from Minister Aglukkag re Trans Fat (PDF) -
    The Ministry acknowledges our letter and concerns and states that the "Department recommends that the trans fat content of vegetable oils and soft, spreadable margerines be limited to two percent of the total fat content".

• March 2010
  • Letter to Ministry of Health urging Health Canada to protect Canadians from excessive intakes of vitamins and minerals above the Upper Tolerable Intake Level (UL). (PDF) -
    OSNPPH urges Health Canada to discontinue the current practice of allowing Natural Health Products (NHPs) in conventional food products and to put a halt to the current practice of allowing NHPs into the marketplace before adequate safety assessments have been completed.
  • Letter to Ministry of Children and Youth Services to revise the Nutrition Section in the Day Nurseries Act (PDF) -
    OSNPPH urges the Ministry of Children and Youth Services to revise the Nutrition Section in the Day Nurseries Act (DNA) to reflect the most recent recommendations in Health Canada's Eating Well With Canada's Food Guide.

• February 2010
  • Letter to Minister of Health Canada-Minister Aglukkag Implementation of Trans Fat Regulations (PDF) -
    OSNPPH urges the Ministry of Health to implement the regulation of trans fats in the food supply. Results from the monitoring report show that the voluntary approach has not adequately reduced levels of trans fats in the food supply.

• January 2010
  • Provincial Nutrition Society agrees new School Food and Beverage Policy is a positive step (PDF) -
    OSNPPH and OPHA applaud the release of the School Food and Beverage Policy by the Ministry of Education. The new policy will provide direction for schools when deciding which foods and beverages can be sold to students. To further benefit the nutritional and overall health of Ontario's children and youth, OSNPPH also supports a whole school approach.

2009

• September 2009
  • OSNPPH letter in response to Bill 156 (PDF) -
    OSNPPH would like to express our appreciation to the Ministry of Health Promotion in supporting the positions of Senior Consultant, Public Health Nutrition. We believe this professional position is essential to support Ontario public health units as they implement the Ontario Public Health Standards.

• April 2009
  • OSNPPH letter in response to Bill 156 (PDF)

• March 2009
  • Letter to premier re:addition of healthy food supplement to basic needs allowance (PDF)

• February 2009
  • Letter to Cynthia Morton re: After-school Program (PDF)
  • Trans Fat Standards Regulation Survey (PDF)

2008

• December 2008
  • Letter to the Ministry of Education re:Proposed revisions to H & PE curriculum (PDF)

• August 2008
  • Report on the Meeting between OCGHEPA/OSNPPH and Ministry of Education re: Bill 8 (PDF)
  • HPRAC scope of practice review response from OSNPPH (PDF)

• July 2008
  • OSNPPH response to diabetes strategy announcement (PDF)
  • OSNPPH response to trans fat regulation (PDF)

• June 2008
  • OSNPPH letter to MHP re: Primacy (PDF)

• May 2008
  • School Food Policy Update-DC, OSNPPH and DFO (PDF)
  • Mise à Jour sur la politique alimentaire en milieu scolaire (PDF)
  • OSNPPH FHNAG response to Health Canada Consultation-Iron and Folate (PDF)

• April 2008
  • OSNPPH proposes amendments to Day Nurseries Act (PDF)
  • OPHA and OSNPPH urge Dalton McGuinty to support the bill to prohibit the advertising of foods and beverages to children (PDF)
  • Submission to the Standing Committee on Social Policy re: Bill 8 Healthy Food for Healthy Schools Act (PDF)

2007

• December 2007
  • OSNPPH, OCGHEPA and OCDPA commend the ban on trans fat (PDF)
  • OSNPPH supports continuance of funding for Canadian Health Network (PDF)

• November 2007
  • OSNPPH and OCGHEPA express appreciation to OCFP (PDF)
  • OSNPPH and OCGHEPA express appreciation to Danielle Brule (PDF)
  • OSNPPH expresses concerns to OCFP (PDF)

• March 2007
  • OSNPPH feedback on proposed Ontario Public Health Standards (PDF)

• February 2007
  • OSNPPH congratulates Olivia Chow and founders of the Children's Health and Nutrition Initiative (PDF)
  • OSNPPH supports the Fitness Tax Credit for children (PDF)
  • OSNPPH support the development of the Dietitian Advisory Service (PDF)

• January 2007
  • OSNPPH supports the vision and mission of CAHPERD (PDF)

2006

• November 2006
  • OSNPPH requests OMA advocates for reinstatment of OHIP coverage for weight loss (PDF)
  • OSNPPH urges Minister of Health to implement recommendations of the Trans Fat Task Force (PDF)

• October 2006
  • OSNPPH letter to Ministry of Health Promotion and Ministry of Education applauding co-coordinated approach towards creating healthier schools (PDF)

• September 2006
  • OSNPPH concerns re: products distributed at Parks and Recreation Special Events (PDF)

• August 2006
  • OSNPPH recommendations for CDO re: Jurisprudence Handbook (PDF)
  • OSNPPH commends Ontario Action Plan for Healthy Eating and Active Living (PDF)

• June 2006
  • OSNPPH supports CRC's Final Report (PDF)

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