Advocacy: It's not a dirty word, it's a duty.

. The set of core competencies for public health in Canada defines advocacy as “speaking, writing or acting in favour of a particular cause, policy or group of people” and considers it to be one of “the competencies required to influence and work with others to improve the health and well-being of the public through the pursuit of a common goal.” A public health practitioner is expected to be able to “Advocate for healthy public policies and services that promote and protect the health and well-being of individuals and communities.” . The Canadian Medical Association’s Code of Ethics recognizes advocacy as a core activity of medicine: One of the ten fundamental responsibilities involves “advocating on behalf of the profession or the public.” . The Canadian Nurses Association Code of Ethics considers advocating for change with respect to “how broad societal issues affect health and wellbeing” to be part of ethical practice.