Clean Air Day: Doctors escalate pressure on federal government to ban fossil fuel advertising

OTTAWA, ON (TRADITIONAL, UNCEDED TERRITORY OF THE ALGONQUIN ANISHNAABEG PEOPLE), June 7, 2023 /CNW/ - Today on Clean Air Day, a group of physicians have launched a new tactic to pressure the federal government to ban advertising of fossil fuel products and services, including oil, gas and gas-powered cars.

Samantha Green, a Toronto family physician and President-Elect of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE), and 11 other practicing doctors have introduced a Parliamentary e-petition demanding a federal, tobacco-style ban on fossil fuel ads to protect public health. One year ago today, organizations representing 700,000 healthcare professionals signed an open letter calling for the same, with no meaningful response. The Federal government will be legally required to table a response in Parliament to the new e-petition.

"As physicians, we see patients who are sick as a result of air pollution and climate change, both caused by burning fossil fuels like oil and gas. This is a public health crisis and the Federal government needs to act like it. Past governments have taken steps to ban advertising of harmful substances such as tobacco. Fossil fuels are an unhealthy commodity, just like tobacco, and need to be treated as such," said Dr. Green.

The burning of fossil fuels – coal, oil, and gas – is the major driver of climate change and the biggest contributor to poor air quality in Canada. Climate change and air pollution are documented to harm the physical health, quality of life, mental health, and life expectancy of people in Canada. Clean Air Day recognizes the importance of clean air for public health and the environment.

Dr. Green and fellow doctors, supported by the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment´s "Fossil Fuel Ads Make Us Sick" campaign, are calling for other healthcare professionals and the public to add their names to the petition to signal public support to the federal government. The petition will be open to signatures until September 28.

ENDS

The e-petition to the House of Commons may be viewed here: https://petitions.ourcommons.ca/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-4469

For more information or to arrange an interview, contact:
Reykia Fick, Communications Director, Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE), 647-762-9168, [email protected]

SOURCE Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment