First Ministry of Health

The Legislature of New Brunswick, recognizing the growing importance of health as a matter of public concern, extablished, in 1918, a department of government with specific and exclusive responsibilities in that field. The leading advocate of this important innovation was W.F. Roberts, M.D., who became first Minister of Health. The concept was later adopted in other parts of Canada and, indeed, throughout the world.

Devant l’intérêt croissant du public face à la question de la santé, le Parlement du Nouveau-Brunswick créa en 1918 un ministère qu’il affecta exclusivement à ce domaine. Le promoteur de cette innovation, le docteur W.F. Roberts, devint le premier ministre de la Santé. Les autres provinces du Canada et bientôt les pays étrangers suivirent l’exemple du Nouveau-Brunswick.