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jackiejay wrote:Has Ignatieff said anything since the election has been called about funding CCSVI trials, etc. ...I know he stated in a Dec. interview that he would but it would be good to hear it in his platform now....maybe I've missed it, not sure....

Hi JJ,
Did you see the pictures/footage of yesterday's Liberal rally in St John's? There she was centre stage, right behind and high fivin' Michael Ignatieff.. Dr Kirsty Duncan!!

Michael Ignatieff lost his mom to Alzheimer's. He cares.

Yes, I did see her...which was great!...but has he said anything about it since election was called?......is Kirsty his choice for health minister?...then we're laughing....

jackiejay wrote:Yes, I did see her...which was great!...but has he said anything about it since election was called?......is Kirsty his choice for health minister?...then we're laughing....

I'm thinking Dr Duncan would be the best source of this information.

CCSVI is a very specific agenda. IMHO..we need Dr Duncan's voice amongst the government leadership to be heard.

from listening to the conference call today in Ontario.....according to the lawyer from "Angioplasty for All"...it is each provincial Minister of Health who ultimately make the decision about CCSVI....

Yes, the funding of procedures is a provincial matter, but if we get a national movement going AND we have federal support, no provincial government will have the guts to stand in the way. And the research should be a federal initiative anyway.
...Ted

It's both a provincial matter and a federal one. While the lawyer believes that provinces will cave one by one (has this already begun, with Manitoba and Saskatchewan?), and the jurisdiction over health matters generally lies with the province, we do have a federation, there is a Charter that applies to all, this is a Charter challenge, and the Canada Health act and the Ministry of Health are responsible to all. Many believe this is basically a human rights issue, and applies to all on the basis of their being human, as well as to all here on the basis of their being Canadian.

What about to all Ontarians on the basis of their being from Ontario? While I would argue it is a place to start I think that if one is looking for the path of least resistance the question resolves to one of who will win the election. The result will be in before the rally. If the Liberals win, I would say it is no longer as important to go to Parliament hill. The people there, as well as all over Ottawa (Dr. Freedman's 'territory') will be on our side. It will be fun, then, to meet with Dr. Duncan, and congratulate her. But it will then be a matter of a very strong Federal Liberal convincing not only provincial Liberals such as we have in Ontario, but getting the rest of Canada on side. In that, while the practical details of billing in Ontario will still be important, the Charter and Health acts will be much more important.

Should we win nationally, the significance for the rest of the world will be enormous. I think it would be in the interest of 'MS' patients everywhere to support the Liberals in any way they can. Don't forget, people are human everywhere. They should not be discriminated against because they are sick. If this is a human rights issue, it will not be over until Angioplasty for All means All.

Vote Liberal. I like Mike.

I have sent e-mails to national parties asking for their position on treatment for CCSVI.

I have also sent a question for the issue to be raised at the leaders' debate. If enough of us do that, it may be one of the questions presented.

Here is the e-mail address for submitting questions for the debate.

question@electiondebate2011.ca

Canada is ass backwards on the whole issue. Thank God the USA is doing the right thing in regards to CCSVI!

Blaze wrote:I have sent e-mails to national parties asking for their position on treatment for CCSVI.

I have also sent a question for the issue to be raised at the leaders' debate. If enough of us do that, it may be one of the questions presented.

Here is the e-mail address for submitting questions for the debate.

question@electiondebate2011.ca

Blaze, thank you! Done!

thornyrose76 wrote:Canada is ass backwards on the whole issue. Thank God the USA is doing the right thing in regards to CCSVI!

We are thankful, here in the hinterlands, for people like Avis Favaro and Dr. Duncan. Avis is a real journalist, and Dr. Duncan is a better scientist than many authors of papers the Uranuses of Neurology prints.

PCakes wrote:

Blaze wrote:I have sent e-mails to national parties asking for their position on treatment for CCSVI.

I have also sent a question for the issue to be raised at the leaders' debate. If enough of us do that, it may be one of the questions presented.

Here is the e-mail address for submitting questions for the debate.

question@electiondebate2011.ca

Blaze, thank you! Done!

Oops. (':oops:') When I initially posted that, I didn't realize name, address, daytime phone, etc. needed to be included. Here is a link to the info and requirements from CBC.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canadav ... tions.html

I will resubmit my question with required info. Wouldn't it be great if one of us was able to actually participate?

English debate is April 12. French is April 14.

My question(s):

Will any candidate, besides Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff, provide cross-Canada trials of the CCSVI procedure, venoplasty, the gold standard for diagnosis and treatment of this condition, with sufferers numbering 75,000 in Canada alone, and an annual mortality of over 400 Canadians? Does any party besides the Liberals boast of a Health leader of the caliber of Dr. Kirsty Duncan, Liberal MP from Etobicoke, who fearlessly fights for people with CCSVI?

Careful. This will alert the other candidates, who may have a very pat answer. Try to head them off.

Vote Liberal. I like Mike.

My brother's name is Mike, also. He is running for the federal NDP in Weston, Ontario. If anybody there votes for him, I forgive you in advance. I would have a very hard time myself if I lived there, but so far I have not sent Jack any money. Sorry, Mike!

from: http://www.votepair.ca/

Over 6000 people registered for pair voting in last federal election, 2800 pairs made, and two riding results potentially altered.

Does this describe your situation this election?

- You are convinced the person or party representative you want to vote for won’t get elected

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Then consider pairing your vote with someone in another riding where you *could* make a difference. Pair voting has been used in the US and Canada in previous elections.
How pair vote works

1. You register here, stating your name, riding, preferred party to vote for, and other parties you are willing to vote for. (Coming soon – for now sign up on right side of page to be notified)

Example:

Joe Smith
Algoma-Manitoulin Riding
I want to vote for Green
I am willing to vote for NDP, Liberal

2. Later on, you will be paired up with someone in a riding where your Green vote has a better chance of making a difference. We will post details shortly on how matches are made – the whole process will be transparent.

You’ll have time to talk with this person and decide if you want to go ahead with pairing up your vote.

It’s easy to do and it’s legal. Yes, it’s also ridiculous that voters have to jump through hoops to sometimes make their vote count.

The voting system is the heart of representative democracy. It’s the tool citizens use to create government by the people, for the people, of the people.

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This is the core problem with the Canadian political system. Our 21st century democracy is hobbled with a dysfunctional 12th century voting system. Let’s work together to make a change.