Vol. 140, No. 26 — December 27, 2006

Registration
SI/2006-145 December 27, 2006

PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCY OF CANADA ACT

Order Fixing December 15, 2006 as the Date of the Coming into Force of the Act

P.C. 2006-1587 December 15, 2006

Her Excellency the Governor General in Council, on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, pursuant to section 24 of An Act respecting the establishment of the Public Health Agency of Canada and amending certain Acts, assented to on December 12, 2006 being chapter 5 of the Statutes of Canada, 2006, hereby fixes December 15, 2006 as the day on which that Act comes into force, other than section 23 which came into force on assent.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order.)

The Order fixes December 15, 2006 as the day on which An Act respecting the establishment of the Public Health Agency of Canada and amending certain Acts, being chapter 5 of the Statutes of Canada, 2006, comes into force, other than section 23 which came into force on assent.

The Act establishes the Public Health Agency of Canada. The Minister of Health presides over the Agency and has the management and direction of it. The Agency assists the Minister in exercising or performing the Minister's powers, duties and functions in relation to public health. The preamble of the Act sets out various measures that the Government of Canada wishes to take to support public health. In addition, the Act permits the Governor in Council to make regulations respecting the collection and management of public health information and the protection of confidential information, including personal information.

The Act also establishes the position, powers and duties of the Chief Public Health Officer, who, as deputy head of the Agency, is accountable to the Minister of Health and is able to communicate with Canadians and publish reports on any public health issue. The Act requires the Chief Public Health Officer to submit an annual report on the state of public health in Canada to the Minister of Health for tabling in Parliament.

The Act also makes related and consequential amendments to certain other Acts.

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