October 26, 2012, David Bulter-Jones, MD, of Public Health Agency of Canada tabled in Parliament his Report on the State of Public Health in Canada, 2012: Influencing Health - The Importance of Sex.

In his fifth annual report, Mr. Bulter-Jones explores the influence of sex and gender on public health and the health status of Canadians. Differences in health experienced by men, women, boys and girls can be attributed to biological diversity as well as the social roles and responsibilities assumed by each of us.

From the Canadian Index of Wellbeing

How are Canadians really doing? Is our overall quality of life getting better or worse? Are we getting closer or moving farther away from realizing the kind of Canada we want to live in?

The second Canadian Index of Wellbeing (CIW) composite report shows in the seventeen year period from 1994 to 2010, Canada's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by a robust 28.9% while our quality of life only improved by a very modest 5.7%. Further, it reveals Canadian wellbeing dropped by 24% between 2008 and 2010 and the decline in our wellbeing continues despite subsequent economic recovery.

Over the year, CTV Ottawa's Kimothy Walker has been profiling some of the city's most Amazing People including our own Peggy Taillon. 

Prior to CCSD, Peggy served as the Senior Vice-President at The Ottawa Hospital but walked away from her position and spent over a year in Kenya to adopt her son as a single parent. Her successful efforts resulted in change of Kenyan laws for her to do so. She has since founded the HERA Mission of Canada which undertakes many development projects empowering women and children in Western Kenya.

On Saturday October 27th, Peggy, along with 50 other Amazing People, will be honoured at the Amazing People Gala held at the Ottawa Convention Center where the winner of "CTV Amazing Person of the Year" as well as the "CTV's Viewers' Choice Award" will be announced.

Kimothy's profile of Peggy and her story is available to view at CTV's site.  You can also vote for Peggy for CTV's Amazing Person Viewer's Choice Award. (voting ends at midnight, Monday October 22nd)

We here at the CCSD are extremely proud of Peggy and we hope you will watch her story, as well as those of other Amazing People. Help recognize Peggy's efforts and vote.

Michael Adams, President of the Environics Institute, presented his remarks of the cancellation of the mandatory long-form census at the Caledon Institute of Social Policy 20th anniversary celebration. 

Here's an excerpt of his remarks:

The short form, which I presume everyone in this room filled in, unless you wanted to test the government’s tough-on-crime agenda, asks about the number of residents in your home, their relationships to one another, their age and gender, whether they farm, and what languages they speak. Basic population data for the most part.

The long form (formerly mandatory, now the optional National Household Survey) asks a wider range of questions, touching on citizenship and immigration status, income, occupation, child care, housing, and so on.

Long form data has in the past been used by businesses, NGOs, religious groups—and, oh right! governments!—to make plans and evaluate the success of their activities.

You have certainly heard of the United Way’s ―poverty by postal code work. Enabled by long form data, of course.

You can view a complete copy of Mr Adams remarks available here.