After many years of success, EvidenceNetwork.ca is no longer in operation. We would like to thank everyone who has contributed to the organization over the past decade including our dedicated researchers, newspaper editors, readers and funders. However, now it is time to move onto new ways of looking at knowledge mobilization and policy. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact Shannon Sampert at s.sampert@uwinnipeg.ca.

When inequality in Canada goes up, child well-being goes down

National Child Day has been celebrated across Canada every November 20th since 1993 to commemorate the United Nations’ adoption of two documents describing children’s rights: The 1959 United Nations Declaration of the Rights of the Child and the 1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Why Manitoba needs to invest in its children

To thrive economically, Manitoba needs young people. Fortunately, our relatively high birth rate — around 1.93 for every 1000 women — combined with favourable immigration trends means that Manitoba’s population will continue to grow.

Setting the conditions for good long-term health

Last year at a camp in southern New Brunswick I met Evan. Before turning eight, he had bounced from foster home to foster home. He was sent to camp without a bathing suit or sufficient lunch. Regardless, Evan smiled constantly, excelled in school and had a striking sense of compassion. I still think about Evan all the time — what allowed him to thrive in spite of the cards he had been dealt?

Some of the most complex needs of my patients stem from poverty and not disease alone

A young girl is referred to a paediatrician’s office for inability to pay attention in the classroom. The child’s teacher is concerned she has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and possibly, a learning disability.

Pourquoi le Canada fait-il mauvaise figure en matière de santé infantile?

Il y a quelque chose qui cloche au Canada. Un rapport publié par UNICEF en 2014 comparait la santé et le développement des enfants canadiens à ceux de 28 autres pays nantis.

Why does Canada do so poorly on children’s health rankings?

Something is amiss in Canada. A 2014 UNICEF report compared the health and development of children in Canada with 28 other wealthy nations. In spite of being a G8 country, Canada’s children rank number 17th, a status that has not budged in the last 10 years.

Child poverty a Canadian problem

UNICEF’S most recent report on child well-being in rich countries ranked Canada 17 out of 29 countries assessed. Sadly, this isn’t news. The House of Commons resolved to eradicate child poverty in 1989, but in late 2013, Statistics Canada reported that 967,000 children in this country still lived in low-income homes.