Palliative care in Canada

 “A Good Death” is an online series co-production by CBC News with students from the Graduate Program in Journalism at Western.
“This series provides an opportunity to explore what makes a good end-of-life journey, how attitudes and practices are evolving, and what changes are needed to put palliative care on the public agenda. It also shows how, in a world devoted to longevity, we are failing in Canada to meet the needs of the dying.”
Occupational therapists as health professionals work in palliative care and are interested in this public conversation about the state of dying in Canada. They are concerned with the variations in quality palliative care.
Follow the series at http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2011/05/04/f-milestogo-project-overview.html

Your Choice!

In this last blog before election day, I wanted to reprint a message I read in the Hill Times this morning which brings all the activities and efforts of the last few weeks down to a fundamental principle-  the government that will be in place on May 3^rd is our choice.

 Armine Yalnizyan, a senior economist at the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives started out an article with the following:

“Every election campaign is like a job interview. Voters listen and watch candidates as they show what they’ll bring to the job, with style and substance. Whether Harper, Ignatieff or Layton, remember to go back to the resumé before you make the hire.”

We have all had a chance to hear from the candidates seeking the job to represent us. CAOT has provided summaries of the platforms as well as messages important to the profession.

Now it is up to you! You are the employer! Make your voice heard by voting on May 2^nd and encourage those around you to also vote!

Half way there

May 2^nd is coming fast. We have heard from the leaders in two debates and most of the news has centered on the leaders of the major political parties. According to the Hill Times, the campaign has been leader centric. In Canada our electoral process means that we choose our representative- our Member of Parliament and the leader of the party winning the most seats becomes the “leader “of our country. However, this campaign has been very different with all political parties focusing on particular ridings where seats are being competitively sought after. In early communication CAOT identified the key swing ridings – those that are not forgone conclusions.

In these last two weeks, it is important to continue to push the following occupational therapy messages:

1.       That people of all ages living with mental health problems and illnesses are actively engaged and supported in their journey of recovery and well-being and that these people have access to occupational therapists to help them with their journey.

2.       That all Canadian Forces personnel and Veterans have access to the same level of care no matter where they live in Canada,- care that includes the professional services of occupational therapists.

3.       That the significant inequities in health status and health access experienced by many Aboriginal peoples through a collaborative and respectful process with Aboriginal health leaders and key stakeholders.

It is also important for us to have our voices heard. Don’t forget to vote and encourage family, friends and clients to also express their opinion at the polls.

FYI- you don’t have to wait until May 2^nd to vote. There are advance polls, mail in votes and you can vote anytime at your local Election Canada returning office. For more information, check out www.elections.ca

Public Health and the Federal Election

Where is "public health" in the debates and electoral platforms? Let the occupational therapist's voice be heard in support of public health!

A federal election offers an opportunity for members of the public health community to assess the platforms of all federal political parties and to question the candidates on how each party intends to address public health issues. As a  member of the public health coalition, CAOT suggest you check out the Campaign 2011 site which is designed to brief you as to what should be on the political parties’ radar.

Be involved!

Ensuring your voice is heard

Three weeks from today, on May 2^nd, a majority of eligible voters who cast their votes will elect the next Government of Canada – our federal government.  In the 2008 federal election, voter turnout, at just 59.1 per cent was the lowest in Canadian history.  Will the turnout in 2011 be even lower?

Please consider CAOT election messages by sharing them with the candidates in your riding and by comparing the platforms and positions of the parties and the character of those who aspire to lead the Government of Canada – our government. 

Also get out to vote and encourage others in your family and in your workplace to get out to vote. Our voices must be heard.

Parlez santé

Nous sommes maintenant dans la deuxième semaine de campagne électorale sans un mot sur la question de santé. Un rapport de l’Institut C. D. Howe indique que les coûts associés aux services de santé sont en croissance agressive mais nos candidats sont silencieux sur le sujet. Le coût par personne en 2008 était 4 900 $ et maintenant il est de 10 700 $.   

Comme ergothérapeutes, vous  avez une responsabilité de demander aux candidats ce qu’ils prévoient envers l’Accord sur la santé qui prend fin en 2014.

Silence on health care

As we move into the second week of the election campaign, the subject of health care has not been addressed. A recent report from the C.D. Howe institute suggest the health care spending  could rise to almost 19 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product by 2031 compared to the 2009 level of 12 per cent unless politicians turn their attention  to the growing health care spending. The report shows that currently Canada is spending $10,700 per person when two years ago expenditures were $4,900 per capita.

As occupational therapists concerned about the well-being of Canadians, we  have to remind the candidates that health care is a priority and that they need to tell Canadians what how they will deal with the current Health Accord which will expire in 2014.

Fitness Tax Credit

Today, April 3, 2011 Steven Harper announced that his government will create a new $500 fitness tax credit benefiting adult Canadians. Harper noted that the extension of the fitness tax credit to adult Canadians is supported by a wide array of health-related organizations in Canada, including the Fitness Industry Council of Canada, the Heart and Stroke Foundation and the Canadian Diabetes Association.

CAOT lobbied for this tax credit as part of its submission to the pre-Budget Consultation undertaken annually by the House of Commons Finance Committee. It was also a message carried by members of the CAOT Board on the November 25^th 2010 lobby day. 

 CAOT message was: “That the federal government increase the breadth of the Child Fitness Tax Credit  introduced by the Government of Canada in 2006 to be open to all Canadians to promote active living through participation in fitness programs that contribute to reducing obesity as part of weight reduction programs and promoting healthy aging.”

Ethical Voting

Assistant Professor Jason Brennan from Brown University wrote an interesting article in the Globe and Mail this morning on the responsibility of voters. I thought there would be value in repeating some of the points he made. The following is a paragraph from his article which I believe summarizes the points he makes about an ethical approach to voting.

“Voters face some choices. They can form their beliefs about politics in a self-indulgent way. They can ignore evidence and form policy preferences based on what they find emotionally appealing. They can treat voting as a form of self-expression and ignore what damage they do. Or they can be good citizens. They can form their policy preferences by studying social scientific evidence about how institutions and policies work, and by using reliable methods of reasoning to study the issues. They can work to overcome their personal and ideological biases and choose in a smart, thoughtful way.”

So as a first step for occupational therapists to make thoughtful decision in this current election, you may want to check out the various political parties political platforms.

Here are the URLs:
Conservative Party of Canada - http://www.conservative.ca/
Liberal Party of Canada- http://www.liberal.ca/issues/
New Democratic Party of Canada- http://www.ndp.ca/platform
Green Party of Canada- http://greenparty.ca/issues
Bloc Québécois- http://www.blocquebecois.org/dossiers/campagne-2011/documents/EnoncePolitique.pdf

Lutte à surveiller au Québec

Gagner chaque circonscription est le but des partis politiques. Mais un petit nombre de circonscriptions au Québec pourraient avoir un impact décisif lors du 2 mai prochain.

À suivre :

Beauport-Limoilou - La députée sortante Sylvie Boucher a remporté les deux dernières élections par moins de 200 voix.

Louis-Saint-Laurent - La ministre Josée Verner, qui n'a pas été inquiétée lors des dernières élections, est très identifiée au dossier du Colisée et se place présentement derrière le Bloc.

Portneuf-Jacques-Cartier - L'ancien animateur de radio André Arthur a remporté la dernière élection par un peu plus de 600 votes.

Lac-Saint-Louis - Les conservateurs souhaitent percer dans l'île de Montréal  avec la candidature  de  l'ancien propriétaire des Alouettes, le sénateur Larry Smith. Mais la victoire n’est pas assurée Le libéral Francis Scarpaleggia a remporté la dernière élection par 11 000 votes.

Ahuntsic – L’ancienne chef de l’opposition à la Ville de Montréal, Noushig Eloyan représente les intérêt des libéraux contre la députée bloquiste Maria Mourani qui a remporté les deux derniers scrutins par quelques centaines de votes.

Jeanne-Le Ber - Le libéral Mark Bruneau tentera de récupérer l'ancien siège de Liza Frulla, occupé par le bloquiste Thierry St-Cyr.

Outremont - Le lieutenant de Jack Layton au Québec, Thomas Mulcair s’opposera à l'ancien ministre libéral Martin Cauchon.

Papineau - Théâtre d'une chaude lutte lors des deux derniers scrutins. Justin Trudeau doit battre de nouveau la bloquiste Vivian Barbot.

Brossard-LaPrairie - Le Bloc compte sur un ancien du Parti vert, Jacques Rivard, pour défaire.la libérale Alexandra Mendès.

Abitibi-Baie-James-Nunavik-Eeyou - Un poids lourd de l'industrie minière, Léandre Gervais,  va essayer de gagner cette circonscription bloquiste pour les libéraux.

Brome-Bissisquoi - Le candidat libéral, l'ancien ministre Denis Paradis, a perdu par un peu plus de 1000 votes en 2008 s’oppose à une ancienne du NPD, Christelle Bogosta, qui portera les couleurs du Bloc.

Saint-Hyacinthe-Bagot - Le Parti conservateur aurait recruté Jean-Guy Dagenais, qui s'était pourtant opposé à l'abolition du registre des armes à feu. Il tenterait de déloger la bloquiste Ève-Mary Thaï Thi Lac.

Chicoutimi-Le Fjord - Les conservateurs ont recruté un ancien éditorialiste du Quotidien pour porter leurs couleurs, Carol Néron. Chaude lutte en vue pour le bloquiste Robert Bouchard.

Montmagny-L'Islet-Kamouraska-Rivière-du-Loup -. L'ancien maire de La Pocatière Bernard Généreux continue de représenter les Conservateurs. Il a remporté le dernier scrutin par 1500 votes.

Haute-Gaspésie-La Mitis-Matane-Matapédia - On s'attend à une course à trois dans cette circonscription bloquiste.

Gatineau - Le NPD a bon espoir de percer dans cette circonscription bloquiste avec la candidate Françoise Boivin. Les libéraux présenteront Steven Mackinnon, qui a été directeur national du PLC.

Hull-Aylmer - Le parti de Jack Layton a recruté une candidate de prestige dans cette forteresse libérale, Nycole Turmel, ancienne présidente de l'Alliance de la fonction publique du Canada.

Compass vote Boussole électorale

CBC has set up a way to find out where your values line up with political parties. Check out Vote Compass the online tool that helps you find out how your views and values align with the parties. Click on  http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canadavotes2011/votecompass/
Do you want to know where you stand?

Découvrez votre position dans le paysage politique avec la boussole électorale. Cliquez sur
http://elections.radio-canada.ca/elections/federales2011/boussole-electorale/index.shtml

Election 2011 50 key ridings

The Globe and Mail has identified 50 ridings that they believe are important to the outcome of the federal election. Do you live in any of these ridings? Let us know what the most important issues for you where you live.
We will be following key campaign activities to the profession through this blog.

The fifty key ridings are:

Yukon, Western Arctic, Nunavut, Burnaby-Douglas, Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca, Newton-North Delta, Saanich-Gulf Islands, Vancouver Island North, Vancouver Kingsway, Vancouver South, Edmonton-Strathcona, Saskatoon-Rosetown-Biggar, Winnipeg North, Winnipeg South Centre, Oak Ridges-Markham, Brampton West, Brampton-Springdale, Bramalea-Gore-Malton, Mississauga-Erindale, York Centre, Mississauga South, Eglinton-Lawrence, Trinity-Spadina, Guelph, Kitchener Centre, Kitchener-Waterloo, London North Centre, London West, Kingston and the Islands, Sault Ste Marie, Lac-Saint-Louis, Ahuntsic, Papineau, Outermont, Jeanne-Le-Ber, Gatineau, Pontiac, Roberval-Lac-Saint Jean, Jonquière-Alma, Louis-Hébert, Charlesbourg-Haute-Saint-Charles, Beauport-Limoilou, St John’s South-Mount Pearl, Avalon, Egmont, Fredericton, Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe, Saint John, Dartmouth-Cole Harbour, and South Shore-St. Margaret’s.

Election 2011 CAOT Perspective

On May 2nd, 2011, Canadians will go to the polls to elect a new government. Occupational therapists are invited to get involved in their ridings. Check out the CAOT website for your election tool kit and keep up to date here where we will, in a neutral fashion, report and discuss political issues over the election period.

For this election period, CAOT has chosen three messages. CAOT asks that all federal candidates support:

1. That people of all ages living with mental health problems and illnesses are actively engaged and supported in their journey of recovery and well-being and that these people have access to occupational therapists to help them with their journey.
2. That all Canadian Forces personnel and Veterans have access to the same level of care no matter where they live in Canada,- care that includes the professional services of occupational therapists.
3. That the significant inequities in health status and health access experienced by many Aboriginal peoples through a collaborative and respectful process with Aboriginal health leaders and key stakeholders.