U3 Lesson 4: Legislation and Environment

Legislation concerning different aspects of health is made at both the federal (all of Canada) level, and the provincial level. In this activity, we will focus on Ontario legislation. Politics and public policy can have a big influence on factors that affect our health. Political decisions can create public policies and programs that protect our environment, such as our air and water quality, and benefit our personal health. Legislation tells us what we can and cannot do for our benefit and for the health of others in our community.

One example of legislation that has been created to protect all members of a community is the banning of handheld devices while driving. The issue of distracted driving was the source of this legislation since many people were seriously injured or killed because of it.

Watch #PutDownThePhone, as an example of an ad created by the Government of Ontario about this issue. This video shows what can happen with just a few seconds of distracted driving. It illustrates how governments also take action in convincing people why they should obey legislation.