Issue brief: Addressing health and emerging global issues in Canada

ABSTRACT

An increasing number of global issues have emerged as key determinants of health. Governments around the world are recognizing the importance of considering and acting upon these global issues as a way to protect and improve the health of their citizens. Specifically, these governments have started to respond to this challenge by integrating national leadership across the health and 'non-health' spheres (5) and investing heavily in the 'architecture' and domestic partnerships necessary to support them (6-13). Some have also promised enhanced contributions to broader global health with the view that the absence of health in one part of the world affects the health of people everywhere (7). Indeed, research suggests that such national investments in global health efforts may not only contribute to sustainable development, trade, human rights, humanitarian relief work and global security, but also work to enhance the health of the investor's own citizens (14-19).