News and Issues

May 17, 2007

TORONTO - Women and girls who suffer acts of sexual violence in times of conflict are too often forced to endure the stigma, prejudice and exclusion that accompany being labelled a victim of such crimes by their societies. Changing these attitudes and ensuring women and girl survivors are provided with adequate reparation and remedy needed to rebuild their lives and communities is the focus of a new international campaign led by the Rights & Democracy-based Coalition for Women's Human Rights in Conflict Situations.  

This groundbreaking campaign aims to correct the systemic flaws of national truth and reconciliation initiatives and existing reparation schemes and to inform those being developed by the International Criminal Court.

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Tobacco is the second major cause of death in the world. It is well known that half the people who smoke regularly today - about 650 million people - will eventually be killed by tobacco. Equally alarming is the fact that hundreds of thousands of people who have never smoked die each year from diseases caused by breathing second-hand tobacco smoke.

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This summer protect your skin from harmful UV rays. In celebration of National Sun Awareness Week, May 28 to June 3, the Canadian Cancer Society is working with the Canadian Dermatology Association to raise awareness of skin cancer and the importance of sun safety.

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May 17, 2007

EGALE Canada Calls for Zero Tolerance of Homphobic Bullying in our Schools

Ottawa - The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms recognizes the rights of all Canadians to be free from discrimination based on sexual orientation. Yet homophobic acts, jokes and insults happen every day while people stand by and do nothing to stop it.  

Teens are among those most vulnerable to homophobic bullying. As May 17, marks the fifth annual National Day Against Homophobia, Egale Canada is calling for zero tolerance of homophobic bullying in our schools.  

"Students from same-sex families as well as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students are being harassed in school with homophobic behaviour and bullying," said Egale Canada's Executive Director, Helen Kennedy. "Students who do not feel safe cannot learn," continued Kennedy. "These students need to see their lives reflected accurately and positively back to them within the curriculum."    

Kennedy added that schools must work harder to eliminate negative stereotypes and attitudes towards lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans-identified people. "School boards must take a zero tolerance approach to homophobia, and transphobia," said Kennedy. "They have a responsibility to be proactive in preventing homophobic bullying and behaviour."    

"Today we need to send a strong message that the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, two spirited and transsexual community like all communities are safe and valued in every city and town across this country," said Nigel Flear, President of Egale Canada. "Everyone has a role to play in the fight for the elimination of all forms of discrimination."    

Egale Canada advances equality and justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans identified   people and their families across Canada. Founded in 1986, Egale's work includes political action, legal interventions and public education and awareness.    

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May 16, 2007

Women's organizations celebrate more access to midwives for women in Atlantic Canada

Today, the New Brunswick government has demonstrated its willingness to move forward to enhance maternity care options and better meet the needs of New Brunswick women.

Both the Atlantic Centre of Excellence for Women's Health and the Canadian Association of Midwives want to congratulate the New Brunswick government for announcing its intention to regulate and fund midwifery .

Dr. Christine Saulnier of the Atlantic Centre of Excellence for Women's Health has been urging governments in the Atlantic to listen to the evidence and ensure that women in this region have access to a service available to women in the rest of the country. "The evidence is clear: midwifery offers high-quality, family-centred, community-based, collaborative care that has excellent outcomes for mothers and babies," says Dr. Saulnier.  

The president of the Canadian Association of Midwives, Kerstin Martin congratulates the New Brunswick government for not only recognizing the need for regulation, but for announcing a commitment to fund this service: "Midwives are an integral part of the primary health care team in the provinces where they are regulated and funded. Funding ensures that midwifery is available and accessible to all women."

In the Atlantic region, neither Newfoundland and Labrador nor PEI have made a commitment to move forward on this issue. While Nova Scotia has committed to regulating the profession, it has yet to make a public announcement about funding and implementation.

Regulated midwifery has helped to sustain very fragile maternity care services and even reintroduced them in some communities in Canada.

May 9, 2007

The Women's Health Clinic is delighted to see support by the leading political parties in Manitoba for a Winnipeg-based community birthing centre. We also are pleased to see increased numbers of funded positions for midwives and for a southern midwifery education program.

Birth Centres are an important option for women and their families who are seeking a home like atmosphere in which to give birth. In Quebec and England birth centres are a key component of maternity care. Birth Centres offer a comfortable, low-tech environment where birth is treated as a "normal" rather than a medical process. Birth centres are known for providing friendly, individualised care in an atmosphere that is informal and unhurried, staffed with highly skilled midwives. They are designed as home-like atmospheres for healthy women who are seeking a "natural" birthing experience without surgical or pharmaceutical interventions.

The Birth Centre would be a "Centre of Excellence" for maternity care and "low risk" birth and, as well as providing care, would support the training of midwives, doulas, nurses and possibly other care providers. Pre and post natal care as well as breast feeding and parenting support would also be offered.

It is time for women in Manitoba to have those advantages. The demand for midwifery services exceeds the capacity of current provincial programmes. Research shows that birth centres are a safe and efficient addition to maternity services. Supporting and upgrading an education program will help ensure better care now and for the future.

May 11, 2007

OTTAWA - The Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Health, today congratulated three recipients of the Award of Excellence in Nursing for nurses working in First Nations and Inuit communities. The ceremony, held during National Nursing Week, took place at the Government Conference Centre in Ottawa.

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Many of us take our hearing and ability to speak for granted. Whether we are chatting with a group of friends, playing on the basketball court or listening to the radio, our ability to communicate is vital in our everyday activities.   For 1 in 10 Canadians however, speech, language or hearing problems are a daily challenge affecting the work/school, family and social aspects of their lives.

May Month has been celebrated across North America since 1927 as an annual event that promotes and celebrates members of the professions and the impact they make on the health of our country.   The Canadian Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists (CASLPA), and our 5,000 members across the country are working together throughout the month of May to raise public awareness of the professions and the many issues surrounding speech, language and hearing disorders.   Speech-language pathologists, audiologists and supportive personnel are trained professionals who work with Canadians of all ages dealing with many different types of communication disorders. Whether working with a hearing impaired child or an elderly person recovering from a stroke, they strive tirelessly to help improve the quality of life and health of the people they serve.  

May 2, 2007

Are people born gay or lesbian? Sexual orientation is not a choice

For the International Day Against Homophobia on next May 17, Fondation Émergence is launching its annual awareness campaign. This leads us to ask: Is being gay a question of nature or nurture? So far to date, science has proven itself incapable of providing a definite answer with some sort of consensus. However, there is agreement on one fact: sexual orientation is not a choice. It's this fact that inspired this year's campaign theme.

When it comes to sexual orientation, it's not rare to hear someone say "I respect your choice." Well no, it's not a choice. It's no more a choice than people's skin or eye color is. The campaign's theme Sexual orientation is not a choice is illustrated through the image of a newborn baby wearing a hospital wristband that has HOMOSEXU.written on it. This bold image definitely raises questions. Whether sexual orientation is due to nature or nurture has no bearing on gays' and lesbians' lives; some day they will discover and become aware of it. In this aspect, they are not different from heterosexuals.

Mr. Laurent McCutcheon, President of Fondation Émergence, said he hopes that "people's realizing that sexual orientation is not a choice will be enough to put an end to homophobia, which is the main goal of this campaign. "

Specifically for various outreach workers in the education field, the material for this campaign is intended to be educational. The pamphlets provide a large quantity of information on sexual orientation. Teachers, other professionals, parents and all of society will also find a list of resources and educational tools. The posters and pamphlets, in English and in French, are being distributed in communities and can also be ordered from Fondation Émergence through its website for the Day at www.homophobiaday.org.

From: The Epoch Times

Health Canada 's approval last July of a vaccine that protects women from a common from of cervical cancer may have been premature, say experts.

Canada's record for treatment of cervical cancer is adequate, they say, and fast-tracking Gardasil, a vaccine for Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), isn't the way to go. $300 million has been allotted to the vaccine program from the recent federal budget.

But health professionals are questioning the necessity of a HPV vaccine in countries like Canada , which have successful comprehensive cervical screening programs.

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04/19/07