dr. robert strang to retire as nova scotia's chief medical officer of health
3 minute read
nova scotia chief medical officer of health dr. robert strang.
tim krochak
/
chronicle herald
dr. robert strang shepherded nova scotia through one of its most difficult public health eras and is now ready to take a permanent break from his stressful day job.
the province’s chief medical officer of health announced he will retire in december.
“throughout his nearly three decades in the public service, nova scotians have experienced dr. strang’s caring, compassion and sense of community, and his unwavering commitment to protecting the public’s health,” premier tim houston said in a news release thursday.
“i’m sure i speak for many when i say we greatly appreciate everything he’s done, especially his guidance and leadership during the covid-19 pandemic, and i thank him for his outstanding service.”
dr. robert strang, right, and nova scotia premier tim houston during the pandemic in 2021. – supplied by communications nova scotia
guiding nova scotians through the covid-19 pandemic
strang’s first role in nova scotia’s health-care system was as the medical officer of health for the former capital district health authority in 1999. he later took over as the province’s deputy chief medical officer of health in 2007 and then became the chief medical officer of health a short time later.
his most noteworthy contribution in that role came when he stepped forward to lead the province through the extreme uncertainty during the covid-19 pandemic. starting in march 2020, strang made sure to be visible and accountable to nova scotians as everyone tried to navigate the anxiety around the spread of unknown disease.
he held regular news conferences to keep the public informed about the most up-to-date risks and to lay out what they needed to do to manage them. he also oversaw the implementation of a series of restrictions and guidelines to marshal the province through the crisis as it evolved on a daily basis.
because of the complexities and unprecedented challenges of the time, strang had to make a series of difficult decisions that were not always universally popular.
advertisement
he championed strict shutdowns and frequent testing in the name of a level of caution in nova scotia that was higher than in many other provinces.
some critics bemoaned the limitations on their civil liberties, but proponents pointed to minimal spread and safer conditions, especially during the period before vaccines were introduced.
dr robert strang puts on his mask following a news conference in halifax on dec. 16, 2022.
tim krochak
/
chronicle herald
“it’s just there and, man, it’s just on your shoulders and you know that everything you’re deciding has a lot of impacts on a lot of people,” strang said about the weight of that responsibility in an october 2020 interview with the chronicle herald.
strang received the lieutenant-governor’s award for excellence in public administration in december 2020 for exhibiting “the highest standard of excellence, dedication and accomplishment.”
“throughout his career, dr. strang has placed the health of nova scotians at the forefront of his work, developing and implementing policies with our well-being in mind,” then-lieutenant-governor arthur leblanc said at the time.
“his commitment to the health of all nova scotians has never been more evident than during the covid-19 pandemic. he is a most deserving recipient of this year’s award.”
added strang in a news release announcing the award: “i’m honoured to receive this recognition during such a challenging year. while it’s my face you see and voice you hear when it comes to the covid-19 response in nova scotia, i represent the hard work of hundreds of skilled professionals whose commitment and dedication to public service is truly inspiring. this award is for them, too.”
leblanc also appointed strang to the order of nova scotia in 2022.
early life involved many moves and focus on sports
strang led a colourful life before his arrival in nova scotia 27 years ago. born in zimbabwe (formerly rhodesia) in 1959, he and his family moved to new brunswick when he was five years old.
advertisement
they continued to move around canada in his early years, when a major focus of his life was rugby. he played for the university of british columbia, in new zealand and for the national team.
dr. robert strang, centre, had a long career in rugby prior to moving into medicine. – supplied by rugby nova scotia
the highlight of his career was a game for canada against the england national rugby union team in 1983 at twickenham stadium, a legendary 82,000-seat facility in london used primarily for the sport.
the burly six-foot-four lock ended his playing career in 1991 and continued to referee but also returned to team canada in 1994 to serve as team doctor.
he completed his medical degree at university of british columbia in 1990 and then worked as a family physician for several years in the 1990s before serving as b.c.’s associate medical officer of health from 1997 to 1999.
a spokesperson from the department of health and wellness said strang would not be available for interviews about his retirement until the fall.
share story
