Health and Welfare Canada
The Department of National Health and Welfare, commonly known as Health and Welfare Canada, was a Canadian federal department established in 1944.
Its advisory body on welfare was the National Council of Welfare. In June 1993, Prime Minister Kim Campbell split the department into two separate entities: Health Canada and Human Resources and Labour Canada.
History
Canada's original Department of Health was created in 1919. It would merge with the Department of Soldiers' Civil Re-establishment in 1928 to form the Department of Pensions and National Health. Soon after, the Department of National Health and Welfare would be established in 1944.Following the 1992 federal budget the department was tasked with administering the newly created Child Tax Benefit and of the Children's Special Allowances programs.
In June 1993, Prime Minister Kim Campbell split the department into two separate entities: the portfolio related to health would form Health Canada, while social-development and income-security programs would form Human Resources and Labour Canada—which also combined Labour Canada, the employment programs of Employment and Immigration Canada, and the social-development and education programs from the Secretary of State. Within a few months, a new government was elected, after which Human Resources and Labour became known as Human Resources Development Canada.
In June 1996, a few weeks before the abolition of the department, the Food Inspection Activities under the Food and Drugs Act were transferred to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
Mandate, structure and programs
The department was tasked with the administration of laws and programs relating to the promotion of health, social security and welfare in Canada. It was notably in charge of administering the Canada Assistance Plan and the Established Programs Financing transfer programs to the provinces.As of 31 March 1967 the department oversaw a wide variety of programs and activities, structured around multiple branches:
- Food and Drugs Branch: surveillance activities under the Food and Drugs Act, the Proprietary or Patent Medicine Act and the Narcotic Control Act;
- Health Services Branch: provision of consultant and advisory services to the provinces;
- Health Insurance and Resources Branch: administration of federal-provincials programs;
- Medical Services Branch: provision of medical services to specific populations ;
- Welfare Branch: administration of the federal welfare programs and of the Fitness and Amateur Sport program.
- Dominion Council of Health
- Medical Research Council
- National Council of Welfare