rlabonte@uottawa.ca
613-562-5800x2288

Ronald Labonte holds a Canada Research Chair in Globalization and Health Equity at the Institute of Population Health. He is Professor in the Faculty of Medicine, at the University of Ottawa, and Adjunct Professor in the Department of Community Health and Epidemiology at the University of Saskatchewan. Prior to his appointment in 2004 at the University of Ottawa, he was founding Director of the Saskatchewan Population Health and Evaluation Research Unit (SPHERU), a bi-university interdisciplinary research organization that was committed to “engaged research” on population health determinants at local, national and global levels. 

For the past decade, Ron’s work has focused on the health equity impacts of contemporary globalization. This has included reviews of globalization and health analytical frameworks undertaken for the World Health Organization, an ongoing study of G8 health and development commitments, policy measures to mitigate the negative health impacts of global health worker migration, the impacts of globalization on the health of Canadians and participatory research to advance comprehensive primary health care in many parts of the world.

Ron is a founding member of the Canadian Coalition for Global Health Research, and a past board member of provincial and national public health and international health associations in Canada.  Most recently, he chaired the Globalization Knowledge Network for the World Health Organization’s Commission on the Social Determinants of Health. Ron was also a member of the research team that advised the 2002 Royal Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada on the impacts of globalization and trade on health. 

Prior to his work in global health, Ron worked, consulted and published extensively on health promotion, empowerment and health, and community development for over twenty years, including 15 years employment with provincial and local Canadian governments. He continues to undertake some research and training work in local health empowerment initiatives. Much of his earlier writings in this field are still taught in many universities; and his practice models continue to be used by public health practitioners internationally.

Ron has over 100 scientific publications and several hundred articles in popular media. His recent books include Critical Public Health: A Reader (co-edited with Judith Greene, Routledge. 2007); Health Promotion: From Community Empowerment to Global Justice (co-authored with Glenn Laverack, Palgrave Macmillan. 2007); Health for Some: Death, Disease and Disparity in a Globalizing Era (co-authored with Ted Schrecker and Amit Sen Gupta, Centre for Social Justice, 2005); Fatal Indifference: The G8, Africa and Global Health (co-authored with Ted Schrecker, David Sanders and Wilma Meeus, University of Cape Town Press/IDRC Books, 2004) and Dying For Trade:  How Globalization Can Be Bad for Our Health (Centre for Social Justice. 2003).

To view other selected presentations, publications and books please follow the links above.