The demise of the Canadian Health Care Accord. Extreme secrecy about drug reviews. Confusion surrounding the distribution and wariness among physicians about prescription of medical marijuana. An as-yet unfulfilled promise to make violence against women a health priority. A failing grade for the role of the federal government in health care at the end of 2013 by the College of Family Physicians of Canada.

With those and other key domestic health matters receiving inadequate attention from the feds, why is Health Minister Rona Ambrose going to China to “underscore Canada’s priority to diversify its export markets for energy and underline Canada’s potential as a responsible and reliable provider of energy to China”?

Oh right, she’s also going to discuss the fourth Canada-China Policy Dialogue (CCPD) — “an important vehicle for exchanging information and best practices in key areas of health,” according to a news release from Ambrose’s office and the Public Health Agency of Canada.

“This year, the CCPD will cover infectious disease prevention and control, healthy ageing, and health systems,” the release added, noting that Fred Horne, Alberta’s health minister, will be tagging along because he’s also co-chairman of the Council of Federal, Provincial and Territorial Ministers of Health.

Fair enough, I suppose — after all, Ambrose is also Regional Minister for Northern Alberta, which is longhand for energy.

But with lots of pressing domestic health issues on her plate, wouldn’t it be better to let Greg Rickford get his feet wet in his new job as Federal Minister of Natural Resources?~TM