Health Briefs - June

Store association VP jumps into the smoke shack debate

The Canadian Convenience Stores Association (CCSA) wrote to the federal Minister of Health, Leona Aglukkaq, in April, challenging her to enforce Bill C-32 on Native reserves. This was in reaction to an investigation proving that it was a easy thing for a 15-year-old teenager to buy flavored cigarillos on the Kahnawake and Kanesatake reserves.

“Mrs. Aglukkaq, it is a simple matter to enforce a piece of legislation aimed at Canada’s 24,000 convenience stores, because we are honest people. But what will you do between now and July 5 to prevent the sale of flavored cigarillos to 15-year-old boys and girls by the hundreds of illegal tobacco shacks located on Native reserves? Do you have a plan?” asked Michel Gadbois, senior vice-president of the CCSA.

July 5 is the date on which the sale of flavored cigarillos will become prohibited in all convenience stores across Canada, under Bill C-32 which was introduced by the health minister and passed last fall.

“We are entitled to learn what your plan is, because otherwise, all your bill will have accomplished is to eliminate the supervised and legal sale of this product by responsible retailers and hand over, on a silver platter, a monopoly on the product to criminals and smugglers of all stripes, thereby making the product even cheaper and more accessible to underage youth than ever,” wrote Gadbois.

“Mrs. Aglukkaq, after boasting last week that you will protect the health of young people with your new law, explain to us how you will go about enforcing it on Native reserves. Will you send in inspectors? Will you dispatch police officers? Will you make arrests? What are you going to do, Mrs. Aglukkaq?” asked Gadbois.

Protection for elders

The North East Native Advancing Society has received funding to promote community awareness in the fight against elder abuse.

“Our government takes elder abuse very seriously,” said Jay Hill, MP for Prince George-Peace River. “We are committed to combating this abuse in all of its forms. That is why the government of Canada is supporting projects like this one, helping to give communities the information they need to recognize elder abuse and ensure that seniors are aware that help is available.”

The North East Native Advancing Society serves a large area in British Columbia, east to the Alberta border, north to the Yukon border, west to Chetwynd and Tumbler Ridge and south to Dawson Creek and Kelly Lake. The society has received funding of $100,000 for its project called Elder Abuse Awareness–Sharing Our Wisdom. This project will focus on reducing the incidence of elder abuse by developing networks of support that will link all 10 Aboriginal communities in the Northeast region of British Columbia.

Lift people out of poverty

The Senate report entitled “In from the Margins: A Call to Action on poverty, housing and homelessness” passed unanimously in the Senate April 29. The report declared that Canada’s system for lifting people out of poverty is substantially broken and must be overhauled.

“We began this study by focusing on the most vulnerable city-dwellers in the country, those whose lives are marginalized by poverty, housing challenges and homelessness.” said Senator Art Eggleton, past chair of the Senate Subcommittee on Cities.

“As our research evolved, so too did our frustration and concern as we repeatedly heard accounts of policies and programs only making living in poverty more manageable–which essentially entraps people.”

The committee’s first and fundamental recommendation is that Canada and all provinces and territories adopt the goal of lifting people out of poverty. Included in the measures recommended by the committee is the coordination of a nationwide federal-provincial initiative on early childhood training. Also, recommended is the development of a national housing and homelessness strategy and the creation of a basic income floor for all Canadians who are severely disabled.