On Tuesday, June 5, 2018, Ximena Ramos Salas, CON-RCO Managing Director, Ian Patton, CON-RCO Public Engagement Coordinator and Candace Vilhan, Public Engagement Committee Member, met with members of parliament from all political parties to raise awareness about obesity, weight bias, obesity stigma and access to care issues:

– Bill Casey, MP, Liberal, Cumberland-Colchester, NS, Chair, Standing Committee on Health (pictured left);

– Colin Carrie, MP, Conservative, Oshawa, ON, Member of the Standing Committee on International Trade (pictured middle);

– Don Davies, MP, New Democratic Party, Vancouver Kingsway, BC, Vice-Chair Standing Committee on Health (pictured right); and,

– Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia-Lambton, ON, Vice-Chair, Standing Committee on Health (not pictured).

CON-RCO advocates shared the Canadian Obesity Network Report Card on Access to Obesity Treatments for Adults in Canada and discussed ways to recognize and to treat obesity as a chronic disease by federal, provincial and territorial governments.  We also discussed the pervasive weight bias and stigma that people with obesity experience on a daily basis and how governments can have a role in reducing discrimination against people with obesity.  We had a great response from all of the MPs and will continue to engage more MPs to create change.