Talking Allergies

Hey everyone. Rather than try to guess where folks might be working on this, how about everyone starts a thread about her/his city or town and go from there.

Don't be shy! Think of it as a roll call.

Hello. I would like for this law to be passed in saskatchewan as well. Anyone know how to go about it? My 4 year old is due to start school sept2006 and I would like to help pass this in sask before then.

How about small town, Niagara Region, Southern Ontario.

Monty,

Niagara will be covered under Ontario's new Act to Protect Anaphylactic Pupils (aka Sabrina's Law). See Anaphylaxis Canada's site to view the bill that passed - http://www.anaphylaxis.ca

The new law comes into effect in all Ont. schools on Jan. 1 FYI, it was Cindy Paskey and NASK, the Niagara anaphylaxis support group, that led the charge on getting this bill through. So kudos to your region. /Gwen

I'm wondering if there is anyone else in the Vancouver/BC region that is interested in working to get Sabrina's Law passed here? The best way to go about it is to have as many people as possible contact their Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) to let them know how important this is.

Count me in!!

I contacted my MLA and was told to send a letter to The ministers of education and health. For sask they are:

Andrew Thompson
Room 307 Legislative Building
Regina, SK
S4S 0B3

John Nilson
Room 361 Legistative Building
Regina, SK
S4S 0B3

Gwen the editor, Thank You. I am familiar with Cindy Paskey and NASK. She is an amazing lady who is doing a wonder job.

For British Columbia, the Minister of Health is:

Honourable George Abbott

Contact Information
Phone:
250 953-3547
Fax:
250 356-9587


PO Box 9050
STN PROV GOVT
Victoria BC
V8W 9E2

Gwen the editor, Thank You. I am familiar with Cindy Paskey and NASK. She is an amazing lady who is doing a wonderful job.

Is there another contact address for the Honourable George Abbott? I have noted down the PO Box in Victoria, BC. Is there an e-mail address or another mail address we can send our letters to? I have a letter in the works to go to him. Does anyone have an address for the Minister of Education of BC also? Anyone else sending letters?

I found that the easiest way to contact government MLA's was to go to their website www.legis.gov.bc.ca (google members of the legislative assembly british columbia if you don't want to write it down), then under "members" click "contact information". Then you can write your letter and just scroll through the names, readdressing the letter as you go., and send it to every MLA in the province. That way every MLA in BC knows that this is an issue for us, and it only takes a little while (about 1 hour, including writing the letter). I have been told that it is best to tell personal stories, and written contact is better than phone.

I did this right before the election and about 20 wrote back, and some were very sympathetic. I have kept the letters. I wonder if it is all right to say on this forum who the ones who seemed really interested were, and then if there was a forum member who happens to have that MLA, they could contact them?

The other really important thing to do is to contact your own MLA to see how supportive he/she is. Asking for a meeting to explain in detail why Sabrina's Law needs to be in place is a good idea, and they are usually very happy to meet with consistuents, but they will usually only act for their own constituents. But if every MLA in British Columbia had even one meeting with a person affected by ana., they could put a face of one of their "own" to this problem.

Also, we can send the angels that Alberta is using, Yvonne from AAIA sent me some last week, and you can download them from "Epiman's" website.

Yvonne and AAIA are behind Sabrina's Law, too. Her phone # is 1877-500-2242 (toll free). I wonder how many AAIA members there are in BC - that is another route to go - contacting them - also AC members.

hello, Pamela....I am a mom of a 7 year old boy in Vernon, BC...I am interested in becoming more active in educationg schools, and being a part of passing the Sabrina's Law too. I have no ideas where or how to start, maybe this is the start.....connecting with others in BC with the same interests........... Adams*mom

Here is the link to go to locate all the BC MP's. Write to them. I did. If they get more letters from different families, they will realize that it is not a few children in the school system in BC that need Sabrina's Law.

http://www.parl.gc.ca/common/senmemb/ho ... alLastName

Also, Pamela suggested to write to your local MLA. If you live in Vernon, it is either: Tom Christensen or Claire Trevena.

Pamela is right about your local MLA maybe interested in meeting with you to discuss situation, because when I wrote to our local MLA last week, I got a reply by e-mail today from them letting me know that they would like to meet with me to discuss. And, a rep. from one of the MP's (the one in my constituent called me and talked to me for about 20 mins. and let me know that she had forwarded my letter to them and their own letter to Shirley Bond, MIn. of Education, stating their position on it also. They also agree that this situation is serious and should be dealt with.

Good luck!

Sorry, I forgot to mention that many people have told me to write to the School Board also. I have done that and am sending those off tomorrow. But, apparently, they may be able to help also.

I have also briefly talked to the principal of our elementary school. My son is four and will be five next month and entering kindergarten in September. He is anaphylactic to peanuts. You can imagine how stressed I am to try and pave the way for him before he starts. The principal and your son's teacher could in the meantime help you out by discouraging the allergen being brought into the classroom....

I am in the midst of dealing with that and can update you all on what the results are.

Good luck to you all!