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 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 RAC will provide guidance, assistance, and advice on public health issues to CIPHI. The committee functions as a working group and an advisory body. Working groups will be formed as necessary at the request of the CIPHI National Executive Committee (NEC) through the RAC Chair. All requests for involvement or participation of the RAC shall be made through and approved by the NEC.
To view our current committee members Click here
Membership
The mandate of the RAC is to act as counsel and support to CIPHI on issues related to public health capacity and as a link to retired members by:
- Supporting the vision, mission, and values of CIPHI.
- Exploring the role of retired public health inspectors in the event of public health emergencies.
- Championing the importance of retirees in building the public health workforce and strengthening public health infrastructure.
- Developing and maintaining a database of all retired PHIs to contact during public health emergencies to assist local public health agencies with surge capacity issues.
- Investigating and developing enhanced benefits to Retired and Life CIPHI members.
- Promoting CIPHI membership to retired CPHI(C)s.
Committee documents
Pour consulter les infolettres Forum sénateurs, les rapports de l’assemblée générale annuelle et les procès-verbaux des réunions, voir les documents de l’Association.
Pour communiquer avec le président ou un membre du comité consultatif des retraités de l’ICISP, veuillez envoyer un courriel à CIPHIRetireesChair@gmail.com et vous recevrez une réponse dans les 24 heures.
We are grateful for the dedication and contributions of all who have served on the Retirees Advisory Committee. Their guidance and commitment helped shape the committee’s legacy.
To honour those who are no longer with us, we invite you to view our In Memoriam page, recognizing past members who made a lasting impact.