During the period following the 2003 SARs outbreak in Canada several key reports stressed the importance of strengthening the public health system and public health human resource capacity in Canada. Public health departments and agencies were found to be under constant pressure to fill vacancies with qualified and competent individuals in view of competing agencies and the private sector for qualified staff and the lack of candidates interested in making public health a career. As a result, an innovative initiative by the Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors (CIPHI) and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) in 2005 resulted in the creation of a Retirees Advisory Committee (RAC) consisting of retired Public Health Inspectors (PHIs) from across Canada. The experience and corporate knowledge of retired PHIs/EHOs was considered an asset to the future planning of public health initiatives to address the need for qualified public health inspectors to deal with potential public health emergencies; determine a framework to serve as a tool to enhance the public health system capacity; and serve as a pilot for the establishment of retiree committees in other health disciplines.
At the September 14, 2006, meeting of the RAC, the CIPHI National President Claudia Kurzac informed the members that the CIPHI National Executive Committee had formally approved RAC as a committee of CIPHI. Darryl Johnson, NL Branch was appointed as the NEC liaison to the committee. The founding committee members were: Claudia Kurzac (CIPHI), Joan Reiter (PHAC), Carla Troy (PHAC), Jennifer Lowe (PHAC), Tim Roark (BC), Bill Chrapko (AB), Bill Koroluk (SK), Dean Sargaent (MB), Danny Savoie (NB), Jim McCorry (NS), Warick Swyers (NL), Len Gallant (PE), Martin Tonary (HC), Brian Hatton (ON), Roland Duguay (QC).
Roles and Responsibilities
The Committee is to advise, promote, and support retired environmental public health professionals from all regions of Canada while supporting the pillars, vision, mission, and values of CIPHI by:
- Networking with retired environmental public health professionals including sending letters of retirement congratulations.
- Advocate on behalf of CIPHI Retiree Members.
- Liaise with the National Executive Council on behalf of CIPHI Retired Members.
- Recogniton of deceased CPHI(C)s.
To view full Terms of Reference (updated May 2024) Click Here
Membership
The Committee will be comprised of CIPHI members from across Canada as follows:
- Be an active member of CIPHI.
- A minimum of one and up to two Retired, Life, or Regular members from each CIPHI Branch. Regular members must be within 2 year of retirement.
- From a cross section of federal, First Nations, municipal, provincial, and private industry.
To view our current committee members Click here
Committee documents
To view the Senator Forum newsletters, Annual General Meeting reports, and meeting minutes, see Association documents.
To contact the Chair or a member of the CIPHI Retirees Advisory Committe please send an email to CIPHIRetireesChair@gmail.com and you will receive a response within 24 hours.