Elect More Women Conference
Saturday, May 26, 2007 at Hamilton City Hall
Elect More Women's very first all-day multi-partisan conference will provide women with the tools to run for office, manage a campaign, and influence the political arena. All women are welcome to participate in this positive and dynamic opportunity to network and learn.
WHAT: Elect More Women ConferenceWHY: Women make up 52% of the Canadian population but only make up 21% per cent of municipal councils, 21% of Provincial Parliaments, 20% of The House of Commons, and 13% of our nation's Mayors. Canada's international ranking on the Inter-Parliamentary Union, "List of Women in National Parliaments," is 48th in the world. Despite enjoying economic prosperity and political stability, Canada now has fewer women in parliament than most of Europe and many less developed countries such as Mauritania, Uganda, Rwanda, Afghanistan and Iraq.
WHEN: Saturday, May 26, 2007TIME: 9:00am to 3:30pm (Registration starts at 8:30am)
WHERE: Hamilton City Hall - 71 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario
ADMISSION: Pay What You Can
CONFERENCE EVENTS: Opening Address from our Keynote Speaker, Q&A Lunch Session with women politicians past and present, Panel Discussions (Being a Woman in The World of Politics and Women, Politics and Media Relations), and Workshops (The ABC's of Government, Making The Decision to Run, Outreach to Diverse Communities, Work and Life Balance, Public Speaking, and Campaign Organizing).
RSVP DATE: Monday, May 14, 2007 if you require childcare at the event.
PRE-REG FORM: http://www.myhamilton.ca/myhamilton/CityandGovernment/HotTopics/ElectMoreWomen.htm
KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Donna Dasko is one of Canada's best-known pollsters and analysts of public opinion. She is a frequent commentator in the media on politics and current events. She is Senior Vice President of Environics Research Group Ltd. Donna is a co-founder of Equal Voice. The founding meeting of Equal Voice was held in Donna's house in Toronto in May 2001, when about 50 women met to create the group. Donna is now the chair of the Founder's Chapter of Equal Voice and active in public speaking, fund-raising and other Equal Voice initiatives.
PANELISTS AND FACILITATORS: Hon. Marie Bountrogianni (Minister Responsible for Democratic Renewal and Intergovernmental Affairs, Liberal MPP - Hamilton Mountain), Jessica Brennan (Hamilton School Board Trustee), Chris Charlton (NDP MP - Hamilton Mountain), Susan Clairmont (City Reporter - Hamilton Spectator), Tara Crugnale (Conservative Provincial Candidate), Elizabeth Dubec (Producer - Cable 14), Diane Elms (Hamilton Mayoral Candidate), Shiona Thompson (On-Air Radio Personality and Producer - CHML) Andrea Horwath (NDP MPP - Hamilton East), Anne Jones (Former Regional Chair), Sandra Lemus (Diverse Communities Outreach Program Coordinator - SACHA), Joan Lougheed (Former Burlington City Councilor), Judy Marsales (Liberal MPP - Hamilton West), Jennifer Mossop (Liberal MPP - Hamilton East), Jo Pavlov (Green Provincial and Federal Candidate), Beth Phinney (Former Liberal MP - Hamilton Mountain), Cathy Wellwood (Good Shepherd Centre) Deirdre Pike (Chair - Hamilton's LGBTQ Community Wellness Centre), Ann Sloat (Former Mayor of Ancaster), Madina Wasuge (Executive Director - HCCI)Susan Clairmont (Hamilton Spectator) Laura Babcock (Power Group Communications) and Renée Wetselaar (Executive Director - WAHC).
CONFERENCE SPONSORS: Canadian Labour Congress, City of Hamilton Status of Women Committee, Hamilton-Wentworth Elementary Teachers Union, OSSTF and YWCA Hamilton.
ELECT MORE WOMEN: Elect More Women (EMW) believes that more women must be elected to every level of government in Canada. EMW, established in Spring 2006, is a Hamilton based task force. EMW's mission is to politically empower and educate women. EMW is committed to diversity and welcomes women from all political affiliations. - 30 -
Contacts: Denise Doyle & Kelly Hayes - Co-Chairs, Elect More Women Conference CommitteeE-Mail: electmorewomen@yahoo.caPhone: (905) 928-4686
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Friday, May 18, 2007
Minutes from May mtg
GRANDMOTHERS OF STEEL
MEETING- MAY 16, 2007, 7:00
WILHELM ROOM, STS PETER AND PAUL CHURCH, 50 BRUCEDALE AVE. E., HAMILTON
Members present- Leslie Wiens, Georgina Hewitt, Pamela Petz, Maureen Godden, Jesse Kaye, Bithika Raychaudhuri, Marie Barclay, Jan Lukas, Ruth Pearson, Lynda Clark, Mary Beech, Marion Quirk, Mary Dayman, Kay O'Sullivan, Diane Keesmaat, Ellen Ryan, Theresa Randles
Regrets- Ellen Ryan, Judian Shardlow, Lisbie Rae, Anne Philpot, Shirley Routliffe, Martha Paynter, Barb Benjamin, Eileen Benson, Kathy Clark
Pre-meeting jewellery sale, card distribution, print sale
Updates
-Proceeds from the Half Life fundraiser on April 26- $1,700 in ticket sales, $245 in card sales, $350 in donations
-Jan filled us in on the Oomama fundraiser on May 10. There was $100,000 made, and 1,400 letters were filled to send to Stephen Harper urging Canada to act on the commitment to send anti-retroviral drugs to Africa. Stephen Lewis was wonderful as usual. Our card sales made $520 and Kay was asked to send a cheque for this amount to the SLF with a memo note indicating that this amount was made at the May 10 Oomama event.
-The Mother's Day fundraiser on May 13- $710 in ticket sales, $248 in card/print sales, hall cost was $40
We then had the DVD viewing "The Man Who Couldn't Sleep"
New Business
-in order to get more card sets printed we need to look around for printers that will give us the best deal. Lisbie is looking into one possibility. Ellen suggested that if we acknowledge the printing company on the cards we might get a discount. Also if we offer the company a chance to claim for charitable donation. The possibility of using the charitable donation number of the SLF was raised, and needs to be looked into.
-we need a new venue for meetings. Sts Peter and Paul is no longer going to be made available to us. Lisbie had prevoiusly suggested the Unitarian Church on Dundurn and several members thought this would be a good possibility. Georgina mentioned that Joy Warner could look into this as well. Maureen said she, as secretary of Church of the Resurrection on Garth and Mohawk would look into it as an option. The possibility of using two venues means that long travelling distances will not always be for the same members.
-hosting the Great Canadian Quilt- Georgina explained what this is. The quilt is made up of squares representing several different cultures in Canada and spans three walls. It is being shown across the country and will eventually settle in Ottawa. Should any member want to arrange to host the Quilt for a showing (as a fundraiser), Theresa has the contact information.
-Blooms for Africa- Shelley explained that this event is being planned for July, by a group of women including Carolyn Leman and Gloria Geller of the Unitarian Church and on the G of S contact list. It will involve 12-15 homes with garden tours, crafts to sell, refreshments. The G of S will gladly get information out to the members for this fundraising event.
-speaking engagements- Lisbie will be speaking to the Flamborough Rotary on June 20. Jan mentioned that on Sept. 19, she, Anne and possibly Theresa will have an opportunity to speak to a gathering of Secondary School Student council presidents about fundraising for our cause. Anne will be speaking to the Retired Women Teachers Organization on Oct. 17. Kay asked whether a package had been made up for members who have speaking engagements. Jan offered to work on this over the summer. Theresa will give Jan the presentation format she has, plus HIV/AIDS information from the SLF and statistics. Georgina added that an effective addition to this package would be the significant effects of anti-retroviral drugs.
-the group was informed that Anne was reimbursed for printing costs from money made by print sales. The group was asked for their approval for this to continue should there be more costs. The group agreed.
-Shelley brought in a quilt to raffle. It comes from Mexico, from a women's support group called 'Walking Together', and she has offered to split the proceeds between that group and G of S. The draw will be at the June meeting.
-Maureen offered to look into obtaining a registration number on line for cards that could be used by our members to buy groceries. The number would mean that a % of every purchase would go to fundraising.
-next meeting is Tuesday, June 12 at Theresa's. It is a pot luck. Directions will be sent with the meeting reminder early in June. Members are asked to inform Theresa that they are coming.
-meeting adjourned
MEETING- MAY 16, 2007, 7:00
WILHELM ROOM, STS PETER AND PAUL CHURCH, 50 BRUCEDALE AVE. E., HAMILTON
Members present- Leslie Wiens, Georgina Hewitt, Pamela Petz, Maureen Godden, Jesse Kaye, Bithika Raychaudhuri, Marie Barclay, Jan Lukas, Ruth Pearson, Lynda Clark, Mary Beech, Marion Quirk, Mary Dayman, Kay O'Sullivan, Diane Keesmaat, Ellen Ryan, Theresa Randles
Regrets- Ellen Ryan, Judian Shardlow, Lisbie Rae, Anne Philpot, Shirley Routliffe, Martha Paynter, Barb Benjamin, Eileen Benson, Kathy Clark
Pre-meeting jewellery sale, card distribution, print sale
Updates
-Proceeds from the Half Life fundraiser on April 26- $1,700 in ticket sales, $245 in card sales, $350 in donations
-Jan filled us in on the Oomama fundraiser on May 10. There was $100,000 made, and 1,400 letters were filled to send to Stephen Harper urging Canada to act on the commitment to send anti-retroviral drugs to Africa. Stephen Lewis was wonderful as usual. Our card sales made $520 and Kay was asked to send a cheque for this amount to the SLF with a memo note indicating that this amount was made at the May 10 Oomama event.
-The Mother's Day fundraiser on May 13- $710 in ticket sales, $248 in card/print sales, hall cost was $40
We then had the DVD viewing "The Man Who Couldn't Sleep"
New Business
-in order to get more card sets printed we need to look around for printers that will give us the best deal. Lisbie is looking into one possibility. Ellen suggested that if we acknowledge the printing company on the cards we might get a discount. Also if we offer the company a chance to claim for charitable donation. The possibility of using the charitable donation number of the SLF was raised, and needs to be looked into.
-we need a new venue for meetings. Sts Peter and Paul is no longer going to be made available to us. Lisbie had prevoiusly suggested the Unitarian Church on Dundurn and several members thought this would be a good possibility. Georgina mentioned that Joy Warner could look into this as well. Maureen said she, as secretary of Church of the Resurrection on Garth and Mohawk would look into it as an option. The possibility of using two venues means that long travelling distances will not always be for the same members.
-hosting the Great Canadian Quilt- Georgina explained what this is. The quilt is made up of squares representing several different cultures in Canada and spans three walls. It is being shown across the country and will eventually settle in Ottawa. Should any member want to arrange to host the Quilt for a showing (as a fundraiser), Theresa has the contact information.
-Blooms for Africa- Shelley explained that this event is being planned for July, by a group of women including Carolyn Leman and Gloria Geller of the Unitarian Church and on the G of S contact list. It will involve 12-15 homes with garden tours, crafts to sell, refreshments. The G of S will gladly get information out to the members for this fundraising event.
-speaking engagements- Lisbie will be speaking to the Flamborough Rotary on June 20. Jan mentioned that on Sept. 19, she, Anne and possibly Theresa will have an opportunity to speak to a gathering of Secondary School Student council presidents about fundraising for our cause. Anne will be speaking to the Retired Women Teachers Organization on Oct. 17. Kay asked whether a package had been made up for members who have speaking engagements. Jan offered to work on this over the summer. Theresa will give Jan the presentation format she has, plus HIV/AIDS information from the SLF and statistics. Georgina added that an effective addition to this package would be the significant effects of anti-retroviral drugs.
-the group was informed that Anne was reimbursed for printing costs from money made by print sales. The group was asked for their approval for this to continue should there be more costs. The group agreed.
-Shelley brought in a quilt to raffle. It comes from Mexico, from a women's support group called 'Walking Together', and she has offered to split the proceeds between that group and G of S. The draw will be at the June meeting.
-Maureen offered to look into obtaining a registration number on line for cards that could be used by our members to buy groceries. The number would mean that a % of every purchase would go to fundraising.
-next meeting is Tuesday, June 12 at Theresa's. It is a pot luck. Directions will be sent with the meeting reminder early in June. Members are asked to inform Theresa that they are coming.
-meeting adjourned
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
Book series- invitation to participate
Through the McMaster Centre for Gerontological Studies, I am editing a book series "Writing Down Our Years". For a due date of June 30th I am recruiting stories and poems about family caregiving. It would be great to have a story/poem (or multiple stories) about one or more grandmothers raising orphans in Africa to provide an international perspective on caregiving and to honour these heroes of Africa. It could be written by a Canadian grandmother or recruited directly from some of the grandmothers connected to the SLF - perhaps something already on the web reshaped for the anthology. It could also be fiction based on the many stories of the grandmothers.
Grandmothers of Steel member Ellen Ryan
Grandmothers of Steel member Ellen Ryan
Grandmothers of Steel in the Spectator
Front page:
http://www.thespec.com/pdfs/20070508/A1.pdf
GO Section Front Page (Theresa's beautiful illustration):
http://www.thespec.com/pdfs/20070508/G1.pdf
Story on Grandmothers of Steel:
http://www.thespec.com/pdfs/20070508/G11.pdf
http://www.thespec.com/pdfs/20070508/A1.pdf
GO Section Front Page (Theresa's beautiful illustration):
http://www.thespec.com/pdfs/20070508/G1.pdf
Story on Grandmothers of Steel:
http://www.thespec.com/pdfs/20070508/G11.pdf
Film screening in TO
Friday, May 11, 2007
7:30 pm (doors open at 7:00 pm)
Isabel Bader Theatre
93 Charles St. West, Toronto
Thirteen million children have been orphaned by AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. This Mother's Day, we honour the millions of mothers who have died unnecessarily and the hundreds of thousands of grandmothers who have become mothers again to their orphan grandchildren.
The Stephen Lewis Foundation invites you to attend the premiere of A Generation of Orphans. This half-hour documentary gives voice to six orphans and the grassroots organizations that work valiantly on their behalf; highlighting their hardship, hope and courage as they struggle with the loss of their parents to AIDS.
Following the screening, Stephen Lewis and African grandmothers from SLF-supported projects will discuss the lives of orphans and vulnerable children in Africa.
RSVP required by May 1st to rsvp@stephenlewisfoundation.org. Questions? Call (416)533-9292 ext. 0. Seating for this event is general admission. This event is by invitation only and is not open to the public.
The Isabel Bader Theatre is located next to Museum subway station. Limited parking is available under Rowell Jackman Hall at 85 Charles St. West and surrounding area.
A Generation of Orphans is the second film in a trilogy about the Stephen Lewis Foundation's work to support grandmothers, orphans and women in sub-Saharan Africa
Help improve access to HIV/AIDS medicines
Three years ago, Canada passed a law to make essential, generic medicines available to countries being ravished by the effect of HIV/AIDS
Since then, close to 6-million more people have died of HIV/AIDS-related causes, more than 8.6-million women, men and children have become infected and not a single pill has left Canada
Find out what you can do to help improve access to HIV/AIDS medicines
Join Global Citizens for Change for a live conversation about how Canada is falling short of our promise to improve access to HIV/AIDS medicines for Southern populations and how Canadians citizens can make a difference to help curb this global crisis.
Date: Wednesday May 23rd
Time: 7:00PM (EDT - be sure to calculate what that means for your time zone)
This will be a coast to coast phone conference, accessible from anywhere in Canada. Anyone is welcome - you can participate from your home.
All you need to do is:
Step one: Email hharding@cciorg.ca and let us know you will be calling
Step two: On May 23rd, call: Toll Free (from anywhere in Canada only) 1-866-322-8798 (Toronto area: 416-640-3407)
Make Change Happen. You can find out more information about the call on our website: https://univmail.cis.mcmaster.ca/Redirect/www.globalcitizensforchange.ca/
Since then, close to 6-million more people have died of HIV/AIDS-related causes, more than 8.6-million women, men and children have become infected and not a single pill has left Canada
Find out what you can do to help improve access to HIV/AIDS medicines
Join Global Citizens for Change for a live conversation about how Canada is falling short of our promise to improve access to HIV/AIDS medicines for Southern populations and how Canadians citizens can make a difference to help curb this global crisis.
Date: Wednesday May 23rd
Time: 7:00PM (EDT - be sure to calculate what that means for your time zone)
This will be a coast to coast phone conference, accessible from anywhere in Canada. Anyone is welcome - you can participate from your home.
All you need to do is:
Step one: Email hharding@cciorg.ca and let us know you will be calling
Step two: On May 23rd, call: Toll Free (from anywhere in Canada only) 1-866-322-8798 (Toronto area: 416-640-3407)
Make Change Happen. You can find out more information about the call on our website: https://univmail.cis.mcmaster.ca/Redirect/www.globalcitizensforchange.ca/
Monday, May 7, 2007
Participate in our card fundraising
Grandmothers groups are invited to purchase a disc from the Grandmothers of Steel with the card designs by Theresa Randles that we have been using to print cards to sell as a fundraiser. Our card sales have been very successful. The disc comes with a set of cards and will be mailed to you. The cost is just $20. 6 Grandmothers groups have bought the package so far so they can make their own cards to sell and raise money for the Grandmothers Campaign.
Cheque presentation
SSND Waterdown - Anne & Theresa visited the Notre Dame nuns just over a week ago and Julie Coultas (short hair) who is the Grandmothers Campaign one and only staff person, and Ilana Landsberg-Lewis, Exec. Dir. of the Stephen Lewis Foundation received our 2nd cheque for $2500. We spoke to the nuns about the Grandmothers and Theresa sold lots of cards and many prints.
Love and laughter ageless in the nursing home
From 'FlamboroughReview.com: Article: Love and laughter ageless in the nursing home';
By Catherine O'Hara
News
May 04, 2007
Rediscovering beauty and love, Half Life characters Patrick and Clara have fading memories. As the couple falls in love, both believe they are rekindling an old flame, but are they really, or did they know each other in the past?
Half Life is a humorous and touching play set in a nursing home for veterans. The talented cast for this production enables the audience not only to have a good laugh, but also wonder what is left in life if there are no memories to fall back on.
Directed by George Thomas, Half Life is not a "memory play," he explained, but a play about memory and forgetting.
The acting skills of Maggie Thomas and Ray Jenkins (Clara and Patrick) were in fine tune last Friday for the play's opening at Memorial Hall; their soft and gentle affection for one another resonated through to the audience.
As Clara suffers from Alzheimer's, she seems to recognize Patrick as an old flame from before the war. As their relationship and feelings for one another grow, Patrick advises his daughter Anna of his plans to ask for Clara's hand in marriage.
Clara's son Donald, played by Steve O'Brien, does not think his mother is mentally fit to understand this proposal and objects to the union.
Caregiver Tammy (Tamara Kamermans) shows her kindhearted side to the elderly she cares for in the production, but portrays a dry and abrupt attitude towards others, including Donald and Anna - a source of much of the play's humor.
Written by Hamilton native, award-winning playwright, John Mighton, Half Life is currently in production until May 12.
Members of Village Theatre Waterdown were also pleased to announce their new partnership with the Grandmothers of Steel, the Hamilton Branch of the Grandmothers to Grandmothers campaign of the Stephen Lewis Foundation.
In light of this new collaboration, the cast and crew of the VT production staged an additional benefit performance, last Thursday. The benefit performance raised $2,000 and awareness for grandmothers in Africa who are currently raising their grandchildren orphaned by AIDS. Sales of notecards and prints featuring images by artist Theresa Randles raised an additional $105 for the cause.
Half Life will continue to run on May 3-5 and May 10-12 at 8 p.m. Tickets for these performances are $20 at the door. Advance tickets, $18, are available via email at mail@villagetheatrewaterdown.com, by calling (905) 690-7889, or at the Jitterbug Java Café, 35 Main St.
By Catherine O'Hara
News
May 04, 2007
Rediscovering beauty and love, Half Life characters Patrick and Clara have fading memories. As the couple falls in love, both believe they are rekindling an old flame, but are they really, or did they know each other in the past?
Half Life is a humorous and touching play set in a nursing home for veterans. The talented cast for this production enables the audience not only to have a good laugh, but also wonder what is left in life if there are no memories to fall back on.
Directed by George Thomas, Half Life is not a "memory play," he explained, but a play about memory and forgetting.
The acting skills of Maggie Thomas and Ray Jenkins (Clara and Patrick) were in fine tune last Friday for the play's opening at Memorial Hall; their soft and gentle affection for one another resonated through to the audience.
As Clara suffers from Alzheimer's, she seems to recognize Patrick as an old flame from before the war. As their relationship and feelings for one another grow, Patrick advises his daughter Anna of his plans to ask for Clara's hand in marriage.
Clara's son Donald, played by Steve O'Brien, does not think his mother is mentally fit to understand this proposal and objects to the union.
Caregiver Tammy (Tamara Kamermans) shows her kindhearted side to the elderly she cares for in the production, but portrays a dry and abrupt attitude towards others, including Donald and Anna - a source of much of the play's humor.
Written by Hamilton native, award-winning playwright, John Mighton, Half Life is currently in production until May 12.
Members of Village Theatre Waterdown were also pleased to announce their new partnership with the Grandmothers of Steel, the Hamilton Branch of the Grandmothers to Grandmothers campaign of the Stephen Lewis Foundation.
In light of this new collaboration, the cast and crew of the VT production staged an additional benefit performance, last Thursday. The benefit performance raised $2,000 and awareness for grandmothers in Africa who are currently raising their grandchildren orphaned by AIDS. Sales of notecards and prints featuring images by artist Theresa Randles raised an additional $105 for the cause.
Half Life will continue to run on May 3-5 and May 10-12 at 8 p.m. Tickets for these performances are $20 at the door. Advance tickets, $18, are available via email at mail@villagetheatrewaterdown.com, by calling (905) 690-7889, or at the Jitterbug Java Café, 35 Main St.
Thursday, May 3, 2007
Cheque presentation
Anne and theresa presenting our second chq for $2500 to Julie Coultas and Ilana Landsberg-Lewis ( SSND in Waterdown last week)
May Fundraiser
Please spread the word about the Dessert/Card party to be held on May 22nd, at 1:30 at Port Nelson United Church in the O'Brian Room. The cost is $15.00. To date 8 tables are still available. Get your players ready to play!
Contact Joan Cassidy, 905 681-3326 or Susanne Zinkie, 905-331-7154.
Contact Joan Cassidy, 905 681-3326 or Susanne Zinkie, 905-331-7154.
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
Template for letters to MPs re access to HIV drugs
May 1, 2007
Name, MP
House of Commons
Parliament Buildings
Ottawa, Ontario,
K1A 0A6
Dear Name:
I am writing as a member of Grandmothers of Steel, a group of women in the Hamilton area who raise awareness and money for African grandmothers caring for AIDS orphans. We belong to a network of more than 150 groups across Canada who support the Stephen Lewis Foundation's Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign. We are deeply concerned about the HIV/AIDS pandemic, especially as it affects sub-Saharan Africa. Our goals are awareness, advocacy and fundraising for more than 13 million African orphans who are being cared for by grandmothers in desperate need of assistance. Our members are distressed that millions of adults and children with AIDS in Africa and other developing countries are dying because they do not have access to cheaper generic anti-retroviral drugs. The Canadian Access to Medicines Regime is not working. Since being unanimously supported by Parliament in May 2004, not a single drug has left Canada. We ask that you urge the Prime Minister, members of your caucus, and members of the Standing Committee on Industry to find a way to speed the export of less expensive generic anti-retroviral drugs to developing countries.Please direct your efforts to ensuring that the government adopts the specific proposals contained in the document "Delivering on the Pledge". These proposals for fixing the legislation have been endorsed by many credible Canadian non-governmental organizations and academic and other experts.Under the proposed changes, Canada would:? Implement a "one licence solution" to the current complexity of the legislation. This would allow the manufacture and export of generic medicines to eligible developing countries based on one simple licence, without needing to specify predetermined quantities of medications, while still requiring that royalties be paid to patent-holders based on the amount exported and the countries to which medicines are exported. UnderCAMR, generic drug companies are restricted to exporting specified amounts to just one country at a time, and only as outlined in any single contract with the developing country.? Ensure that there is no requirement to disclose recipient countries that are on the eligible list until contracts have been signed. Currently, eligible countries are unwilling to be identified and enter negotiations because of fear of reprisals.? Eliminate the current two-year time limit on licences, and instead allow licences to run for the remaining duration of the patent. We are doing what we can as citizens. What is desperately needed is for our government and other governments to do much more. We appeal to you to ensure that our Canadian government does all that it can to halt the AIDS pandemic, including immediately fixing the CAMR legislation and regulations.
Yours sincerely,
Your Name
Name, MP
House of Commons
Parliament Buildings
Ottawa, Ontario,
K1A 0A6
Dear Name:
I am writing as a member of Grandmothers of Steel, a group of women in the Hamilton area who raise awareness and money for African grandmothers caring for AIDS orphans. We belong to a network of more than 150 groups across Canada who support the Stephen Lewis Foundation's Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign. We are deeply concerned about the HIV/AIDS pandemic, especially as it affects sub-Saharan Africa. Our goals are awareness, advocacy and fundraising for more than 13 million African orphans who are being cared for by grandmothers in desperate need of assistance. Our members are distressed that millions of adults and children with AIDS in Africa and other developing countries are dying because they do not have access to cheaper generic anti-retroviral drugs. The Canadian Access to Medicines Regime is not working. Since being unanimously supported by Parliament in May 2004, not a single drug has left Canada. We ask that you urge the Prime Minister, members of your caucus, and members of the Standing Committee on Industry to find a way to speed the export of less expensive generic anti-retroviral drugs to developing countries.Please direct your efforts to ensuring that the government adopts the specific proposals contained in the document "Delivering on the Pledge". These proposals for fixing the legislation have been endorsed by many credible Canadian non-governmental organizations and academic and other experts.Under the proposed changes, Canada would:? Implement a "one licence solution" to the current complexity of the legislation. This would allow the manufacture and export of generic medicines to eligible developing countries based on one simple licence, without needing to specify predetermined quantities of medications, while still requiring that royalties be paid to patent-holders based on the amount exported and the countries to which medicines are exported. UnderCAMR, generic drug companies are restricted to exporting specified amounts to just one country at a time, and only as outlined in any single contract with the developing country.? Ensure that there is no requirement to disclose recipient countries that are on the eligible list until contracts have been signed. Currently, eligible countries are unwilling to be identified and enter negotiations because of fear of reprisals.? Eliminate the current two-year time limit on licences, and instead allow licences to run for the remaining duration of the patent. We are doing what we can as citizens. What is desperately needed is for our government and other governments to do much more. We appeal to you to ensure that our Canadian government does all that it can to halt the AIDS pandemic, including immediately fixing the CAMR legislation and regulations.
Yours sincerely,
Your Name
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
Mother's Day Event
Showing of the new Stephen Lewis Foundation's A Generation of Orphans DVD A film by Liz Marshall
Sunday May 13 "Mother's Day"
Sky Dragon, 27 King William St. Hamilton
At 1:00 P.M.
Cost is $20 per ticket
Tickets are available from Theresa Randle at (905) 389-1405 or trandles@sympatico.ca. Tickets for the film screening are also available at OPIRG McMaster, Room 229 of the McMaster University Student Centre, 905-525-9140 ext. 27289, or email shelley@opirg.
Sunday May 13 "Mother's Day"
Sky Dragon, 27 King William St. Hamilton
At 1:00 P.M.
Cost is $20 per ticket
Tickets are available from Theresa Randle at (905) 389-1405 or trandles@sympatico.ca. Tickets for the film screening are also available at OPIRG McMaster, Room 229 of the McMaster University Student Centre, 905-525-9140 ext. 27289, or email shelley@opirg.
Fundraising progress notes
We raised $2000 at a benefit performance of Half Life by the Village Theatre in Waterdown. $5000 has been raised through card sales and large prints of the card sketches
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