Hi Louise and other Clickers. I forwarded your message to Clare O'Connor, Director of Policy and Government Relations for the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Nova Scotia. I don't know if she's been in touch with you but she has done a lot of work on health promotion advocacy in our province and made substantial progress with this issue during our recent election in Nova Scotia. Since the provincial government created the Office of Health Promotion there have been a lot of discussions on what is an appropriate advocacy role for health charities. When tobacco companies meet with provincial politicians to provide “evidence” that bans on smoking decrease business in bars and restaurants it seems appropriate for health charities to provide evidence to the contrary. Is it equally appropriate for health charities to provide evidence to government on the links between cardiovascular disease and poverty? Or to work with a group of volunteers to develop a provincial strategy on stroke care and then work to have that strategy adopted as provincial policy (as is the case here in NS and we have made lots of headway with government on the latter issue thanks to the work that Clare and others have done)? In the case of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Nova Scotia we have decided that all of the above are appropriate roles. Since we don’t receive funding from the provincial government our position is simplified in that regard. I am sure that Clare would be happy to discuss these and our other advocacy and policy development activities with you or anyone else on the list. She can be reached by email at [log in to unmask] or by phone at 902.423.7530. Regards, Meredith ___________________________________ Meredith Campbell Leaders Among Us Manager Heart and Stroke Foundation of Nova Scotia 5523 Spring Garden Road, Suite 204 Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 3T1 Phone: 902.423.7530 Fax: 902.492.1464 Toll-Free: 1.800.423.4432 Email: [log in to unmask] _________________________________________________________________ Add photos to your e-mail with MSN 8. Get 2 months FREE*. http://join.msn.com/?page=features/photos&pgmarket=en-ca&RU=http%3a%2f%2fjoin.msn.com%2f%3fpage%3dmisc%2fspecialoffers%26pgmarket%3den-ca To unsubscribe send one line: unsubscribe click4hp to: [log in to unmask] . To view archives or modify subscription see: http://listserv.yorku.ca/archives/click4hp.html