I was asked to post this by FoodShare Metro Toronto.

Dear Friends,

Citizens for Public Health was formed in November 1997 as a lobby group
whose aim is to safeguard public health programs and grants through the
process of organizing the new City of Toronto.

We intend to put together delegations of representatives of the various
issues/sectors most affected by public health policy and funding--
democratic representation, food access/anti-poverty, prevention and
support services (e.g. AIDS/TB), seniors, environment and immigrant
services-- to visit the new city councillors.  We will start with
approximately 10 key councillors and eventually try and visit most of
them.

Following is a short description of Citizens for Public Health and the
lobby effort, as well as a form to fill out if you are interested in
participating.  Those who sign up will receive a lobby package.  If you
feel capable of pulling together the visit yourself, that would be
ideal-- please indicate your ability to do so.  Otherwise, you will hear
from us or from a team leader in your ward.

Thank you,
Kathryn Scharf 392-1657



Citizens for Public Health

            As people concerned about the future of public health in the City of
Toronto, we are launching a co-ordinated effort to inform and educate
city councillors about the important public health decisions they will be
making in future months.  Because so much remains unclear about
budget, allegiances and priorities, we are still working on the content and
timing of our strategy.  Nonetheless, we would like to have our supporters
in place in order to be prepared when the time comes.  We have created a
basic plan.  The following areas have been identified by members of the
forum as key areas of defence:

       Democracy and Citizens' Involvement in Public Health
       decisions
       Prevention and Support Services (AIDS, TB, Homelessness)
       Environment and the Environmental Protection Office
       Food Access, Anti-poverty and Food Grants
       Seniors rights and access issues
       Immigrants and Access Services

       We will be assembling groups of people representing the concerns of as
many of these sectors as possible to visit their local councillor.  If you are
a program  user, activist or simply a concerned citizen who would like to
meet your city councillor and have your say about these issues, please fill
out the form on the other side of this sheet.  Better still, if you're willing
to co-ordinate the meeting, please indicate that as well.

Citizens for Public Health formed on November 19, 1997, sponsored by citizen
members of the Boards of Health in all six jurisdictions in response to the
megacity re-organization and the threat presented by provincial downloading of
public health costs onto the new city.   Two hundred people from all over
Metro attended the first meeting and agreed that there must be a citizen-based
advocacy strategy to ensure that public health programs are levelled up
across the new city, and that the public health mandate continue to be
population-based and focused on prevention.  Thirty organizers continue to meet
to concentrate on strategy.  Please call Lee Zaslofsky, former citizen member,
Toronto Board of Health at 703-8482 ext. 115,  if you would like to find out how to
get involved.

Citizens for Public Health

NB:  Groups will be organized first on the basis of the ward in which they live,
though if  we are short representatives from sectors in particular wards, we might
call on you to visit the councillor in the ward where you work instead.

Name:


Organization Affiliation and Address (if applicable):



Home address:



Ward number or names of city councillors in home neighborhood:

In work neighorhood:


work tel:        home tel:            fax:               e-mail:


I would like to represent _______________________________ sector (see page 1)


The primary issues that I am concerned about are:


I can be a team leader and coordinate the meeting in my ward  Yes       No


I will help collect other representatives in my sector to join in this mobilization.
Yes    No


Please fax or e-mail back to FoodShare at 392-6650, "[log in to unmask]" attention
Kathryn Scharf, or call 392-1657 for more information.