This is very strange for me. I am writing a post that is both for public health and for politics which I believe need to be combined in order to strive to make communities across the country, healthier. It's time for more MDs to become MPs.
First off, public health:
1/ There are 25 cases of measles in New Brunswick. Last year, two children died of measles in Ontario. This is a very infectious disease that spreads with ease among children who have not been vaccinated. Please consider vaccinating your child. There are two vaccines: the first is given at age one and the second at age four.
2/ Last night, two of my colleagues saw 47 people at our on call clinic. That is an overwhelming number. By far most of these folks were suffering from respiratory viruses. One respiratory virus is the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). This too can be deadly. It causes mild to moderate cold symptoms in most people but in children under two and in adults over 65, the illness can cause severe symptoms that can lead to hospitalization. There is an RSV vaccine for kids born in 2024 and children under two who are at risk. There is also and adult vaccine for people over 65. The adult vaccine is not covered by OHIP or public health.
And now, to politics. I am the candidate for the Federal Green Party of Canada in the Guelph riding. I have chosen this path in order to focus on three things:
1/ To improve the quality of our healthcare system with a focus on primary care. Primary care is the care that is provided by your nurse practitioner or your family doctor. There will be 56,000 people in Guelph and area who will not have access to a primary care clinician in the next 18 months. Elect me as your Member of Parliament and I will work to build a clinic that cares for these patients while working on much needed primary care reform.
2/ To address housing, food and economic insecurity. In other words, affordability. This is a major concern for the Green Party of Canada. I witness the effects of the affordability crisis in my medical practise every day. I have been treating my patients for 34 years. I have never seen anything like the suffering many are experiencing now.
3/ To address the effects of climate change. We can lead our young people away from despair and into a bright future by highlighting what is already being done in our community and by fighting for what needs to be done by all levels of government.
I need your support. Please consider signing up to help with my political campaign. Man, I never thought I would write those words. Of all the things I have done in my career, this is by far the most terrifying. More than anything else, I need your encouragement. That's what kept me going as I posted during the pandemic. You inspired me.
If you would like to volunteer, click on this link:
If you are able to donate, click on this link and read carefully about the significant tax rebates that you receive depending on the amount you donate:
And finally, if you would like to order a lawn sign for the 2025 election, click here:
Here's to a hopeful and healthier future.
Anne-Marie
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P.S. A modest woman raised by a good Italian mother, the thought of lawn signs with my name on them doesn't sit well. I will need your encouragement to keep up the fight once these signs sprout up around town.
