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Coast residents Bob Stanhope, left and Ron Pashkewych, right are pictured with West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country MP John Weston who was in Sechelt Aug. 22 riding the riding and promoting his National Health and Fitness Day bill.

Ben Ingram/Staff Writer

Member of Parliament John Weston is hoping his National Health and Fitness Day bill will receive unanimous support when it hits the House of Commons on Sept. 24.

The West Vancouver - Sunshine Coast - Sea to Sky MP said he has planned a walk from the steps of Parliament Hill to Ottawas city hall for that day, a symbol of the co-operation needed between different levels of government in order to improve the health of Canadians.

On a personal level I just saw when I reached Ottawa how unhealthy was the lifestyle that MPs lead so much time on airplanes and in committees and sitting in Parliament, Weston said, explaining the inspiration for his second piece of non-partisan legislation. I just resolved that if I was going to remain productive and useful to the people who voted me in, I needed to work at staying healthy.

Weston hopes that one day Canadian calendars will mark National Health and Fitness Day on the first Saturday of June. The bill encourages local governments to open the doors to their recreational facilities, something Weston hopes will help combat the sedentary lifestyle of Canadians.

He pointed to data released by Statistics Canada and public health agencies as indicators that the health of Canadians has declined since 1981 in terms of obesity, a risk factor for heart disease and even cancer.

Its not a silver bullet, he said, but the hope is that by filling recreation facilities across the country, more people will be encouraged to live a healthier lifestyle. There could also be economic benefits, Weston argued.

Were looking at a direct financial hit of $4.3 billion to our healthcare system relating to over-weightness and obesity, he said.

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Weston hoping for unanimous support for fitness bill