---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 12 Mar 1997 21:25:00 -0500
From: JForsythe <[log in to unmask]>

Dear Colleagues,

1. Thanks to All!

THANK YOU!  THANK YOU!  THANK YOU!  All of you who have responded to our
various calls to action over the last several months should give
yourselves a pat on the back!  In particular, I believe that the push from
the community last week truly made the difference between the bill passing
or being lost in the House of Commons.  I was told that, in one day, the
Prime Minister+s Office received 500 phone calls about Bill C-71 and 400
of them were in favour of it!  That is clearly a result of the efforts of
the dedicated souls in the tobacco control community who called in. 

May I also express our appreciation to some of the key mobilizers in the
community, Michael Perley (OCAT), Heidi Rathgen and Louis Gauvin (Québec
Coalition), Ken Kyle and Rob Cunningham (CCS), and the many others who
contacted their networks. 

2. Next Steps

As you are no doubt aware, the Bill has passed the House of Commons and
moved on to the Senate, where it was scheduled for second reading today.
Next, it will go to the Senate Standing Committee on Legal and
Constitutional Affairs for further study.  Health Minister David Dingwall
will appear before the committee in a few days, the Senate will then break
and public hearings will be held in early April.  It is hoped that the
hearings will end by mid-April, but that remains to be seen.  Third
reading would follow the committee stage. 

 If there are any amendments arising out of the Senate, they will have to
go back to the House of Commons before Royal Assent.  So, there are still
a few hurdles for us to jump in the coming weeks. 

3. Appearing Before the Committee

If your organization wishes to appear before the Senate Committee, you
should contact the Clerk of the Committee, Dr. Heather Lank, at:  Tel.:
613-990 5013/Fax: 613-990-6666.  We understand that all requests must be
in writing and should outline your position on the Bill. 

4. Communicating with Senators

The national health community is still planning strategy to approach the
Senate. Since Senators may not be as well informed about tobacco control
issues as some MPs who have been debating this issue for years, we are
sending information to all Senators on a regular basis.  We are also
setting up small group meetings. 

CCSH has all Senators programmed into our fax machine.  If your
organization has a message that fits into the national strategy which you
would like to send to the Senate, we would be pleased to fax it on your
behalf, as a service to the tobacco control community.  Just send us an
original copy of the text in both French and English.  It should be no
more than two pages long, but shorter is even better! 

As far as community mobilization is concerned, we may need your assistance
again in writing/faxing/calling Sin future updates. 

5. ACTION:  Thank you notes

However, I would like to ask for one more favour at this time. Politicians
are rarely thanked for the good things that they do.  Could you therefore
send a brief note of thanks to: 

The Right Honourable Jean Chrétien 
Prime Minister
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6

fax: 613-941-6900
e-mail: [log in to unmask]

The Honourable David Dingwall
Minister of Health
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6

fax:  613-996-9851
e-mail: [log in to unmask]

Mr. Joseph Volpe, M.P.
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6

fax: 613-992-9791
e-mail: [log in to unmask]


or to any others you felt supported our position in the debate.  Not only
would it be a courteous thing to do, but since we will also need the
support of MPs for the regulations phase (after Royal Assent), it would be
an astute political move to send as many thank you notes as you can.  If
you would like to know how your MP voted before you send a note, feel free
to call/e-mail Krista. 

For additional information, including a list of those to whom CCSH will be
sending thank you notes, please contact: 

Krista Kealey (613) 567-3050 ext 328, [log in to unmask] or Janice Forsythe
(613) 567-3050 ext. 303, [log in to unmask]


THANKS AGAIN FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT.

Janice Forsythe
Executive Director
Canadian Council on Smoking and Health
Suite 1000
170 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa, Ontario
K1P 5V5

fax:  613-567-2730

P.S.  If you forwarded my last e-mail to anyone, would you please be so
kind as to pass this one along, too?