[Viva] Take Action Now: Help reform Canada's Access to Medicines Regime

Wed Oct 27 19:44:50 PDT 2010

In the To: type in viva at lists.resist.ca
I saw that Tami sent the same thing but for me reading your story is what
touched me.
Again, let me know if you have any problems and I can forward your email.
m

On Wed, Oct 27, 2010 at 5:18 PM, Denise Becker <dbecker106 at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi Margarite:
>
> I noticed that Tami sent the original from The Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal
> Network requesting letters or phone calls to VIVA this morning.  I am not
> sure how to send to VIVA.
>
> Denise
>
>
> On Wed, Oct 27, 2010 at 3:06 PM, Margarite Sanchez <
> margaritesanchez at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Denise,
>> This is beautiful. YES, you should most definitely send it to VIVA. You
>> have convinced me to write. It helps understanding a little bit about what
>> this bill would do.
>> thanks,
>> let me know if you want me to post it for you but I do think it is good if
>> others post things besides me and tami.
>>
>> On Wed, Oct 27, 2010 at 11:02 AM, Denise Becker <dbecker106 at gmail.com>wrote:
>>
>>> Can we put this on the VIVA mail list serve?
>>>
>>> I am enclosing a letter I wrote and would implore each VIVA gal take the
>>> initiative to act on this.  It is so important that MP's here from women on
>>> this one.  By doing nothing, we stand idly by and watch while our sisters in
>>> Africa are helpless to do anything.  The e-mail addresses for the seven
>>> recipients are below.  You may want to take one email - a simple one liner -
>>> and send it to all candidates.
>>>
>>> Here is the letter I wrote but you don't have to be so long winded!
>>>
>>>
>>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>> I would ask that you take just a minute out of your day to read my story,
>>> which has appeared on CBC and CTV and in the Globe and Mail.  If you have
>>> children or if you know any young people then I expect this story will have
>>> special meaning for you.
>>>
>>> My name is Denise Becker and I have been living with HIV since 1989, I am
>>> currently 51 years old.
>>>
>>> In 1994, my six-month old daughter became very ill and my husband and I
>>> took her to hospital.  We found that she had AIDS and that I had HIV, it was
>>> a horrific shock. We were a middle class family and had no idea that I was
>>> infected with the HIV virus. It turned out I had been infected five years
>>> earlier, prior to meeting my husband, when I was in a relationship with a
>>> different man.  Luckily, my husband had never become infected.
>>>
>>> During the following three months my daughter went through an agonizing
>>> death because the only medication available to her was AZT and the disease
>>> was spreading so rapidly that AZT was doing more harm than good.  We did not
>>> have the medications that we have today... and I have been told quite
>>> clearly that if those type of medications had been available, she would have
>>> lived.  Knowing at the time that there was nothing I could do to help her
>>> was extremely depressing and I cannot express too strongly how desperate I
>>> was.  She eventually died at nine months of age, at home in her stroller,
>>> with nurses by her side, looking very much like the children you see
>>> starving in Africa.  I suffered PTSD as a result.
>>>
>>>
>>> I have recently been informed that Bill C-393 seeks to make medication
>>> available to poorer countries at a reduced cost.  This is *wonderful *news
>>> and I am very, very happy to hear that many people will not suffer the same
>>> fate as my daughter.  However, to my utter disbelie, I have also heard that
>>> some MP's may vote against the reform of this Bill or ever try to to *
>>> derail *it on a technicality!
>>>
>>> I *truly *hope you will not be among these people.  When you decide to
>>> vote yeah or nay, I hope you will be thinking of me and my daughter because
>>> that is the only reality of this Bill and I will be looking to see who votes
>>> this Bill down so that I can ask them the reason why.
>>>
>>> I have heard you are a man of integrity and are above pharma
>>> manipulation, I hope that I am not misguided.
>>>
>>> Thank you for your kind indulgence in reading my story.
>>>
>>>
>>> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>
>>> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
>>> From: <mailing at mercury.catie.ca>
>>> Date: Wed, Oct 27, 2010 at 9:08 AM
>>> Subject: Take Action Now: Help reform Canada's Access to Medicines Regime
>>> To: dbecker106 at gmail.com
>>>
>>>
>>> Apologies for cross-posting. This is a time-sensitive topic that CATIE is
>>> sending on behalf of the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network.
>>>
>>> URGENT ACTION ALERT - OCTOBER 25-28, 2010. PLEASE ACT BEFORE THURSDAY,
>>> OCTOBER 28th, 2010.
>>>
>>> www.aidslaw.ca/camr<http://205.211.136.17/admin/FCKeditor/editor/dialog/www.aidslaw.ca/camr>
>>>
>>> TAKE ACTION NOW:
>>>
>>> On Thursday, October 28th the committee will start debating possible
>>> amendments to Bill C-393, legislation to reform Canada's Access to Medicines
>>> Regime (CAMR), including those proposed by big pharma aimed at gutting the
>>> key features of the bill.
>>>
>>> We have learned that there is a plan in the works aimed at killing Bill
>>> C-393 on a procedural technicality if and when it goes back to the House of
>>> Commons.
>>>
>>> We have identified a group of target MPs that need to know Canadians care
>>> about Bill C-393 and CAMR reform.  Please phone or email the MPs outlined
>>> below and let them know that you support CAMR reform, and that you expect
>>> them to ensure that Bill C-393 will be properly debated and considered on
>>> its merits by the House of Commons. Let them know that it would be
>>> unacceptable for them to allow a minor procedural technicality to derail
>>> this important initiative to make CAMR finally work.
>>>
>>> An easy telephone script and letter-writing guide can be found in the
>>> full call to action here:
>>> http://www.aidslaw.ca/EN/camr/documents/CAMR_UrgentActionCallOCT2010.pdf
>>>
>>> Target MPs:
>>>
>>> Mike Lake (Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Industry, and Member of
>>> Industry Committe)
>>> Ottawa office: tel 613 995 8695
>>> Edmonton , AB office: tel 780 495 2149
>>> Email: Lake.M at parl.gc.ca<http://ca.mc526.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=Lake.M@parl.gc.ca>
>>>
>>> Mike Wallace (Member of Industry Committee)
>>> Parliamentary office: tel 613 995 0881
>>> Constituency office ( Burlington, ON ): tel 905 639 5757
>>> Email: Wallace.M at parl.gc.ca<http://ca.mc526.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=Wallace.M@parl.gc.ca>
>>>
>>> Tony Clement (Minister of Industry)
>>> Parliamentary office: tel 613 944 7740
>>> Constituency offices (3 offices):
>>> Parry Sound , ON : tel 705 746 9053
>>> Huntsville , ON : 705 789 4640
>>> Bracebridge , ON : tel 705 645 1593
>>> Email: Clement.T at parl.gc.ca<http://ca.mc526.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=Clement.T@parl.gc.ca>
>>>
>>> Stephen Harper (Prime Minister)
>>> Parliamentary office: tel 613 992 4211
>>> Constituency office ( Calgary , AB ): tel 403 253 7990
>>> Email: Harper.S at parl.gc.ca<http://ca.mc526.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=Harper.S@parl.gc.ca>
>>>
>>> David McGuinty (Liberal House Leader)
>>> Parliamentary office: tel 613 992 3269
>>> Constituency office ( Ottawa , ON ): tel 613 990 8640
>>> Email: McGuinty.D at parl.gc.ca<http://ca.mc526.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=McGuinty.D@parl.gc.ca>
>>>
>>> Pierre Paquette (Bloc Québécois House Leader)
>>> Parliamentary office : tel 613 996 6910
>>> Constituency office ( Joliette , QC ) : tel 450 752 1940
>>> Email : Paquette.P at parl.gc.ca<http://ca.mc526.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=Paquette.P@parl.gc.ca>
>>>
>>> John Baird (Conservative House Leader)
>>> Parliamentary office: tel 613 996-0984
>>> Constituency office (Ottawa): tel 613 990-7720
>>> Email: Baird.J at parl.gc.ca
>>>
>>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON THIS IMPORTANT CAMPAIGN!
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>
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