Francis John Blatherwick

Dr. Francis John Blatherwick, CM, OBC, CD, FRCP(C) (born September 11, 1944) was one of Canada's trailblazing leaders in public health and was the longest-serving Medical officer of health in Canada when he retired in 2007. He received his Diploma in Public Health at the University of Toronto in 1975 and completed his Fellowship in Public Health at University of British Columbia in 1976.

Public health leadership

Dr. Blatherwick served as the Medical Health Officer or Chief Medical Health Officer in Vancouver, British Columbia from 1984 to 2007. As the medical health officer for the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, he was instrumental in implementing a number of important programs, particularly those involving youth, people with disabilities, individuals living with AIDS, combating drug addictions, and the initiative to ban smoking in the workplace.

Dr. Blatherwick was adept at media relations and gained recognition for expressing independent, authoritative views on contentious health matters, including his activism during the AIDS pandemic. In the mid-1980s, Premier Bill Vander Zalm publicly threatened to dismiss him – twice – due to his advocacy for the inclusion of condoms and sex education in schools. In September 1997, Dr. Blatherwick declared a public health emergency in the Downtown Eastside due to the escalating rate of HIV infections, largely attributed to the high rates of injection drug use. Insite, the first legal supervised safe injection site in North America, opened during his tenure.

He also led Vancouver's public health response to the 2003 SARS epidemic.

After his retirement, he received an honorary degree at the University of British Columbia in 2008. He received an honorary degree as a Doctor of Science at Simon Fraser University in 2021. He now has 4 children and 10 grandchildren.

Armed forces

Dr. Blatherwick served in the Canadian Forces reserves for 39 years, retiring in 2000 with the rank of Commander and the position of Senior Naval Reserve Medical Advisor. He served in the Air Force, Army, and the Naval reserves, and was Canada's representative to the NATO Reserve Medical Officers’ Congress from 1989 to 1995.

He was the Honorary Colonel for 12 (Vancouver) Field Ambulance from 2006 to 2012.

Health-related publications Vancouver's Needle Exchange Program, By John Bardsley, John Turvey and John Blatherwick, Canadian Journal of Public Health (1990), Vol. 81, pp. 39–45 ISSN 0008-4263

Books authored Blatherwick has written more than 20 books, mostly on medals and flying: Royal Canadian Air Force Honours, Decorations, Medals, 1920–1968, By John Blatherwick, 1991, FJB Air Publications. A History of Airlines in Canada By Francis John Blatherwick, 1989, Unitrade Press, Canadian Orders, Decorations, and Medals, By Francis John Blatherwick, 1983, Unitrade Press 1000 Brave Canadians: The Canadian Gallantry Awards, 1854–1989, By Francis John Blatherwick, 1991, Unitrade Press

Honours 3 May 1995 - Member of the Order of Canada (CM). 1979 – Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Officer 1984, Commander 1989 2007 – Member of the Order of British Columbia (OBC), upon his retirement. Special Service Medal with "NATO-OTAN" Clasp 1967 - Canadian Centennial Medal 1977 - Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal (Canadian Version) 1992 – 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal 2002 – Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal (Canadian Version) 2012 – Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (Canadian Version) Canadian Forces' Decoration with 3 Clasps (CD) Service Medal of the Order of St John with 1 Silver Bar 2002 – named Canadian Health Hero from the Pan American Health Organization 2005 – Silver Medal of Service from the British Columbia Medical Association