Dear Editor:

I realize that many of you reading this are already committed to helping others in our local communities, within our country and on an international level, but I want to raise awareness of another concern for your consideration.

Bill C-398, currently before the House of Commons, will reform previous CAMR (Canadian Access to Medicines) legislation so that affordable, life-saving generic medicines will be more readily available to developing countries for the treatment of diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis and AIDS.  Canada has the opportunity to save millions of lives, at no cost to Canadian taxpayers.

Presently people are dying needlessly because affordable drug treatment is not available. One in two children born with AIDS, if untreated, dies by the age of 2. Half of the people who require treatment for HIV/AIDS do not receive it. Malaria and tuberculosis, too, continue to have devastating effects in developing nations.

How can we, in good conscience, not help to make affordable drug treatment available to so many in this world?  I believe we have a responsibility as global citizens and as human beings. Canada can lead the way.

Our Members of Parliament will be voting on this legislation in November. Please urge David Wilks to support Bill C-398.  You may contact him in one of the following ways: write to Mr. David Wilks, MP Kootenay-Columbia, Ste 620 – 151 Promenade, House of Commons, Ottawa, K1A 0A6; email to David.Wilks@parl.gc.ca; telephone 613-995-7246.

Thank you,

Luana Gillies

Windermere