[Viva] Fwd: FW: A Victory for Democracy: Bill C-393 will proceed to a vote in the House of Commons

[Denise Becker]

This is amazing and great news... hold onto your seats, girls, we are going
to get this Bill through if we have to push it uphill all the way!  Let's
find strength in the fact that there is a new sponsor allowed for the Bill
and a free vote.  Now we need to fight for the next stage.

I will keep you all informed but to those who phoned MPs, your work has been
rewarded so far.

Yay!!!!

Denise

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Ross Harvey <rossh at bcpwa.org>
Date: Wed, Feb 2, 2011 at 3:14 PM
Subject: FW: A Victory for Democracy: Bill C-393 will proceed to a vote in
the House of Commons
To: BCPWA Group <BCPWAGroup at bcpwa.org>


 FYI



Ross Harvey

Executive Director

BC Persons With AIDS Society

1107 Seymour Street, 2nd Floor

Vancouver, BC   V6B 5S8

t. 604.893.2252

f. 604.893.2251

c.604.788.9111

1.800.994.2437 <http://www.bcpwa.org/>

www.bcpwa.org <http://www.bcpwa.org>

*Add energy to your New Year’s resolution with BCPWA’s free holistic
services, including:*

*yoga; nutrition consultation; rejuvenating naturopathic massage; Thai
Massage; Reiki and Tai-Chi.*

* *

*Call 604.646.5311 now or email clinic at bcpwa.org for appointments.*


 ------------------------------

*From:* Lindsey Amèrica-Simms [mailto:lsimms at aidslaw.ca]
*Sent:* Wednesday, February 02, 2011 1:06 PM
*To:* Ross Harvey
*Subject:* A Victory for Democracy: Bill C-393 will proceed to a vote in the
House of Commons



* *

Dear Members and Legal Network Supporters,



Today, Prime Minister Harper and the Conservative Party agreed to the
request of a new sponsor for private member's Bill C-393, and the bill
received unanimous consent in the House of Commons.  Bill C-393 will now be
able to continue through the democratic process in Parliament, and will be
voted on its merits at third reading at the end of March.  This could not
have been achieved without the support of our members and supporters
throughout Canada – Thank you!



Attached below is a statement released by the Legal Network this afternoon
about this monumental event.  For more information on the campaign to reform
Canada’s Access to Medicines Regime (CAMR), please visit www.aidslaw.ca/camr
.



Kind regards,

Lindsey Amèrica-Simms

Outreach Coordinator



---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



*STATEMENT – For immediate release*

* *

*A Victory for Democracy: Bill C-393 will proceed to a vote in the House of
Commons*



Bill C-393 — life-saving legislation to reform Canada’s broken Access to
Medicines Regime (CAMR) — has today overcome a procedural hurdle and will
move on to a final vote in the House of Commons. The bill received the
unanimous consent of the House required to transfer its sponsorship to a
sitting MP, thereby enabling it to continue through the democratic process
in Parliament.



We thank MP Paul Dewar (NDP, Ottawa Centre) for becoming the new sponsor of
the bill. We also thank MP Brian Masse (NDP, Windsor West) and NDP House
Leader Libby Davies (Vancouver East) for their efforts in championing the
bill.



We thank the New Democratic Party, the Liberal Party, and the Bloc Québécois
for following through on their previously stated commitment to consent to
transferring sponsorship of Bill C-393. We would also like to thank the
members of these parties who rose to speak in support of Bill C-393 this
past Monday, January 31, during the bill’s first hour of debate. Thank you
for recognizing the rare opportunity before you to make meaningful change
and to save lives now.



We commend Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Conservative Party for
agreeing to the request for a new sponsor and allowing Bill C-393 to proceed
to a final vote in the House of Commons, in keeping with the strong spirit
of Canadian democracy.



Bill C-393 has the power and potential to save lives in the developing world
— and would most definitely contribute to the government’s stated goal of
reducing maternal and child mortality.



Bill C-393 also enjoys widespread public support, as demonstrated repeatedly
to Parliamentarians. A national poll found that more than 80% of Canadians
support reforming CAMR to make it workable and to ensure that generic drugs
can quickly and affordably be sent to those most in need. Canadians also
support our democratic process, as evidenced by the outpouring of support
for the swift transfer of sponsorship of Bill C-393. Indeed, more than 3000
Canadians sent letters to this effect (www.letparliamentvote.ca), and some
25,000+ signed onto a similar petition in just hours (
http://www.avaaz.org/en/let_parliament_vote/?vl<http://www.avaaz.org/en/let_parliament_vote/?cl=931979030&v=8333>
).



It is now our hope — a hope shared by many other civil society actors and
concerned Canadians — that we can turn our attention to the critical
substance of Bill C-393. Passing Bill C-393, with its “one-licence solution”
restored and without a proposed amendment for a prohibitively short “sunset
clause”, will streamline and strengthen CAMR and end needless suffering and
death.



Today, we thank Members of Parliament from all sides of the House for doing
the right thing on behalf of Canadians and allowing Bill C-393 to proceed to
a final vote. We now look to them for the political leadership to pass a
robust Bill C-393 and keep Parliament’s pledge to the developing world, when
it first created Canada’s Access to Medicines Regime almost seven years ago.

- 30 -

* *

*Contact:*

Janet Butler-McPhee

Director of Communications, Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network

Telephone: +1 416 595-1666 ext. 228, jbutler at aidslaw.ca



Christopher Holcroft

Principal, Empower Consulting for the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network

Telephone: +1 416 996-0767, chris_holcroft at yahoo.com
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