On Tuesday, January 13, 1998 12:07 PM, Alan
McFarlane[SMTP:[log in to unmask]] wrote:

 People WILL forget, unless
> we take creative action. Make people remember. Campaign for a candidate
> you feel will protect those who need protecting. Vote with your feet!!

I agree with you Alan that the 'People for Education' green ribbon campaign
was a wonderful thing.  This group has been working for years on these
issues.

One thing that this thread has made me think of is the importance of
courage and of telling the truth.  Also I am not sure I agree that just
focusing on two provinces as examples of regressive governments is good.

This summer I was invited to present to our Liberal opposition leader  on
the state of children's lives in Ontario and possible things that could be
done to improve them. (their lives)

Having just finished months of work with both opposition parties on
fighting changes to housing laws, I started out complimenting him on the
support we had received, went on to state very concrete things I would
expect a government to implement if they cared about children.  Then I
explained that I was an advocate and thus my JOB was to tell the truth and
point out mistakes.  I proceeded to take him to task for what his
counterparts had done with the U.I. changes.

I have heard little from the health community about the U.I. changes,
although I understand that many are concerned with children.  Since the
changes to the program that have disqualified all kinds of women we have
seen an over 50%  reduction in women qualifying for maternity benefits, I
assume we have not seen a equal reduction in women working or women who are
having babies.  This at a time when all sectors of our community and
governments are running around claiming to be concerned with children and
what not.

I hear time and time again that it is not part of health people's mandate
to do advocacy.  Who's job is it to tell governments the negative impacts
of their policies, unpaid, unsupported, volunteer members of affected
groups with no resources or support outside of the free breakfasts for our
children?

I would like to see some discussion of healthy public policy and what the
health promotion community  feels are its responsibilities to speak out
against bad ones.

S
--
Sherrie Tingley
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