Education
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.
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.
Prior to coming to Vancouver, he was the Medical Health Officer in the Simon Fraser Health Unit for nine years. He received his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Alberta in 1969. He then started in public health when he left a residency in Internal Medicine at Vancouver General Hospital in 1971 to set up the Pine Street Youth Clinic.
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 has been the moving force behind a number of important programs, especially those involving youth, people with disabilities, people living with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, combating drug addictions, and the move to abolish smoking in the workplace. Blatherwick became skilled at media relations and was well known for voicing independent, authoritative opinions on controversial health issues.
Premier Bill Vander Zalm publicly threatened to fire him – twice – over his advocacy for condoms and sex education in schools. 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 Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome epidemic.
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 North Atlantic Treaty Organization Reserve Medical Officers’ Congress from 1989 to 1995. He is currently the Honorary Colonel for 12 (Vancouver) Field Ambulance (2006 to 2012).
1979 – Order of Saint