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FEBRUARY, 2010 NEWSLETTER     ~     Issue 99
A Newsletter for the Members of RTO/ERO District 23, North York
Published February, August, November

Editor: Rob Fraser

The deadline for materials for the next issue is June 15, 2010.

Click on most pictures to see larger version.
Colour versions may be available from the 'Photos' Link above.

President's Message
Luci Soncin

New Year is the time to bid farewell to the old year and welcome the coming year. It is the time to forget and get past memories that are no longer useful or worth pondering upon. It is the time for new beginnings and it brings a message for each one of us. There is an old saying that goes, "Don't cry because it is over, smile because it happened". As the wrapping paper fades and the tinsel is packed away for another year, we anticipate the hopes for a new decade.

Before we embark on the new year, I would like to thank all those that attended our Holiday Luncheon to make it a wonderful success. Food was plenty, the atmosphere was warm and the entertainment was enjoyable. I was so happy to see so many of our members enjoying the holiday festivities together. I would like to thank the Social Committee for a well organized event.

As we turn our back to 09, we at District 23, North York are anticipating the events planned for the rest of this year. Please take this opportunity to read this STONY and join us for coffee, for a stroll through our city, connect with us at the theatre, and for all you card sharks, join the Bridge group on Tuesdays. If you have not already done so, please fill in the survey found in the last issue of STONY or on our website. We will use your input to plan upcoming events.

Some of our co-ordinators are taking advantage of the workshops prepared by Provincial. Our Goodwill Co-ordinator, Maureen Capotosto, is in the process of looking for a new project for District 23 to sponsor. Many of our members had fun knitting hats and mitts for the Eileen Project. Some of these works of art, and articles of love were on display at our luncheon. If you know of a worthwhile organization that we can sponsor this year please inform Maureen about the work done by of this group.

As you are planning your escape to a sunnier climate or as you snuggle under a blanket in front of the fireplace up north, read the STONY plan your spring and summer events. I know that the Social Committee is already hard at work planning our AGM/Spring Luncheon for Wednesday, May 26, 2010. If you have extra time and want to help out on a committee, contact Margaret Schuman.

New Year is the time for new beginnings. It is time to start afresh and do things that would make someone else smile. The essential message of New Year is, "Let go the past and embrace life as it comes to you." You will be happier and merrier that way.

So, as the year unfolds, know that we are the happiest when we join our District 23 events. Please take the time to read this magazine and come and enjoy.

Visit our 'Executive Link' above for Contact Information

Download Executive Contact List Here

Important Disclaimer
The participants in our trips or events acknowledge and agree that RTO/ERO, including District 23, cannot be held responsible for any injury or damage of any nature, howsoever arising, in connection with our trips, excursions or events. Participants in our trips or events should therefore, carry their own insurance. RTO/ERO's liability insurance protects RTO/ERO (including RTO/ERO organizers) in case RTO/ERO is sued claiming bodily or property damage, which occurred due to negligence on the part of RTO/ERO.

Calendar of Events
February
02	Bridge	1:00pm
04	Strollers	10:00am
09	Bridge	1:00pm
10	Exec. Meeting	9:15am
17	Have-a-Java	9:00am
18	Needle Club	9:30am
23	Bridge	1:00pm
24	Book Club	2:00pm
March
02	Bridge	1:00pm
04	Strollers	10:00am
09	Bridge	1:00pm
10	Exec. Meeting	9:15am
16	Bridge	1:00pm
18	Needle Club	9:00am
23	Bridge	1:00pm
27	Maple Syrup	08:30am
31	Book Club	2:00pm
April
01	Strolllers	10:00am
06	Bridge	1:00pm
13	Bridge	1:00pm
14	Exec. Meeting	9:15am
15	Needle Club	9:00am
17	Grease	2:00pm
20	Bridge	1:00pm
21	Have-a-Java	9:00am
27	Bridge	1:00pm
28	Book Club	2:00pm
May
04	Bridge	1:00pm
06	Strollers	10:00am
11	Bridge	1:00pm
12	Exec. Meeting	9:15am
13	Shaw	9:30am
18	Bridge	1:00pm
19	Have-a-Java	9:00 a.m
25	Bridge	1:00pm
26	AGM/Lunch	9:30am
26	Book Club	2:00pm
June
01	Bridge	1:00pm
02	Exec. Meeting	9:15am
03 Strollers	10:00am
08	Bridge	1:00pm
15	Bridge	1:00pm
15-17	Wildwood	9:45am
17	Needle Club	9:00am
22	Bridge	1:00pm

Poetry

Snowdrops Give me the courage of snowdrops Thrusting through stubborn soil, Raising a fragile whiteness, Trembling with joy, Reaching the wintry light Of a January sky. Carole A. Martyn

A sunlit day and the wind's calling High over forest and bough The river flow and bending Sending droplet to sky and wending storm Music of the words lending joy To wild nature's song Flash of lightning slash of waves High into dark and moonlit night Song soaring high sky and cloud And dawn's first light Sing to me of morning and joy Wild storm cloud deep above Song and shadow, mist and sorrow Love and loss and morning light Winding slow long mountain top And narrow river winding deep Within stone pathway Lark call and hawk descending Below wind's sweeping soar Bending crying desolate weeping Tossing whirlpools deep within Shadowed night blending bending Darkness and shifting light Stars high glow, ephemeral dawn Lawn and veil wind wild Storm and rending forest branch And blown bough seeking Soul of wildness, shadow wind. Bev Gorbet

Membership Report
From January, 2009
by Jean Wilson

In Memoriam
By Jean Wilson, Convener

We regret to inform you that some of our members have passed away. Our condolences go to family and friends, and we hope they will find comfort in fond memories of days gone by. The following information is taken from RTO/ERO, Provincial Office in monthly membership updates from October 2009 through to December, 2009. I apologize for any errors or omissions.

 A Quick Look at the Demographics of District 23

Health Services and Insurance Report
by George Meek

Note: You can also access much of this information on the RTO/ERO Members-only section ( www.rto-ero.org ) of its website in a tabloid format entitled ‘Health Matters' produced by the RTO/ERO Health Services Committee following each of its meetings. Much of this information comes from the 2009 October/December edition. If you require assistance or more information after contacting Johnson Inc. about a claim matter, please do not hesitate to contact me at 416.226.3568 or at george.meek@sympatico.ca. Look after your health and your finances!

A. Health Plan Matters

1. Travel: Proof of Departure
In the event of a claim, Mondial Assistance will require proof of the day prior to, or day of your departure from your province of residence. For coverage verification purposes, the proof must confirm that you were in your province of residence, and not when you arrived at your destination. Each person traveling must retain his/her own proof.

Proof of departure can take any form as long as it meets the following criteria:

1. Identifies you (that is, your name is shown or it bears your signature); and
2. Indicates that the transaction took place in your province of residence before your trip (or prior to your original return date in the case of early return); and
3. Specifies the date.

Examples of acceptable proof include, but are not limited to:

1. a border crossing receipt; or
2. a duty free receipt; or
3. an airline ticket or boarding pass; or
4. a credit card receipt; or
5. signed and dated bank or financial institution documents that proves you were in your province of residence the day before your scheduled day of departure. Proof of departure may present a challenge only in the event that you drive to your destination. In all other instances, a boarding pass for a common carrier is readily available, and is sufficient proof.

You must contact Mondial Assistance within 48 hours of the emergency (no matter how small), or payments will be limited to $2,000 per insured person.

2. Don't Just Travel - Travel Smart
Know Your RTO/ERO Travel Coverage Before You Leave Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI)

The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) is a U.S. law that requires all travelers, including U.S. and Canadian citizens, to present a valid passport or other approved secure document when entering the United States from within the western hemisphere.

Effective June 01, 2009, when entering the U.S. by land or water, Canadian citizens are required to present one of the following valid documents: a passport, a NEXUS card, a Free and Secure Trade (FAST) card or an enhanced driver's license/enhanced identification card or a Secure Certificated of Indian Status (when this certificate is available and approved by the U.S.).

Canadian Citizens flying to, through or from the U.S. must present a valid passport to confirm their citizenship and identity. A NEXUS card is also acceptable when used at a kiosk at designated Canadian airports and at all U.S. airports when returning to Canada.

Note: Canadian entry requirements have not changed as a result of the U.S. WHTI.

Source: Canadian Border Services, May

3. Other Plan Matters
Any suggestions for plan enhancements for the policy year 2011 should be submitted to the Provincial Office prior to the Health Services and Insurance Committee (HS and IC) February 10, 11, 2010 meeting. We shall be looking at any changes that were submitted in 2009 but too late to be costed for 2010. The HS and IC are continuing to investigate the costing and the feasibility of implementing a catastrophic drug plan.

Powers of Attorney (POA): For the protection of RTO/ERO participants, Johnson Inc. must see the original or notarized copy of a POA. A fax, photocopy, or electronic version is not acceptable. Once Johnson Inc. reviews and copies the original or notarized POA for the file, it is returned to the participant.

POA for Property enables a person to delegate authority so that someone else can act on their behalf. This POA is no longer valid if the person becomes incapacitated: and Con-- tinuing POA for Property - This POA comes into effect only when a person is incapacitated and unable to direct their own financial affairs.

When in receipt of a POA for Property, and Johnson Inc. has a reason to believe that the participant is incapacitated, further documentation may be requested to determine whether the POA is still valid. In the case of a Continuing POA for Property, the existing process will become more formalized. Further documentation that confirms the incapacitation, will be required.

The above terminology is for Ontario residents and it can differ among the provinces.

Vacation Supply Forms Now Available Online:
For those participants who are planning on taking a lengthy vacation and need more than the allowed 100 day supply of their prescription medication, an extended supply can be approved by completing a ‘Vacation Supply' form. Previously, participants accessed the form through their pharmacist. The pharmacist was required to call Johnson Inc and the form was faxed to the pharmacy for completion by both the participant and the pharmacist.

The form(s), English and French, is now available online in the Members Only website.

Direct Deposit - Just a reminder that claim payments can be deposited directly into your bank account if you send a void cheque to Johnson Inc. to keep on file, but remember if you should change bank accounts, then you need to update this information.

Important: The RTO/ERO Plan Booklets (2) are revised and reprinted every three years. The next distribution is scheduled for early 2011. To help keep track of the changes that have taken place since the last printing (January 2008), please keep the ‘2009 and 2010 ‘Update' and ‘Going Places' with your booklets. Please refer to the Updates for specific monthly premiums and plan changes. ‘Going Places' and the 2009 and 2010 Update' are also available on the RTO/ERO main website, under ‘Health & Insurance Plans What's New?'

Additional copies of the Group Benefits Program Booklet will no longer be available through the RTO/ERO Provincial Office or the RTO/ERO Group Health Plans Service Dept. at Johnson Inc., even with payment. Copies will continue to be available on-line (FREE), on the RTO/ERO Members' Centre website http://www.rto-ero.org/membersOnly/en/index.htm

Plan Participants are asked to bookmark the site as a "Favourite" on their computer for quick and easy future reference.

Alternatively, a photocopy can be sent out to RTO/ERO Plan Participants who have lost their booklet and are unable to access a copy online. Call the RTO/ERO Group Health Plans Service Department at 1.877.406.9007 (Johnson Inc).

Note: The most accurate information about our Health Plans is found on the RTO/ERO website at www.rtoero.org and in the 2 RTO/ERO Health Plan Booklets or by calling Johnson Inc.

B. Health Matters

disclaimer: Information contained hereafter is intended to be used for general information and should not replace consultation with health care professionals. Consult a qualified health care professional before making medical decisions or if you have questions about your individual medical situation. RTO/ERO makes every effort to ensure that the information in ‘Health:Matters' is accurate and reliable, but cannot guarantee that it is error free or complete. RTO/ERO does not endorse any product, treatment or therapy; neither does it evaluate the quality of services operated by other organizations mentioned or linked to ‘Health:Matters'.

1. Home Visits by a Doctor:
The Health Services and Insurance Committee informs Ottawa and GTA area RTO/ERO members of the availability of Ontario Med Visit ( www.medvisit.ca ).

MedVisit is a service that arranges for a qualified medical doctor to come to your home. If you, your child or any member of your family is sick and needs a housecall, then MedVisit can help. MedVisit has been providing this important service to the community for more than 20 years. They have over 100 doctors who help provide this much needed care and attention to you and your family. MedVisit does not charge any fees. All services are covered by your OHIP Health Card.

It is a wonderful service, particularly for those RTO/ERO members with mobility issues or limited means of transportation

2. Feature: Shingles
You probably know of someone who has had shingles; my grandfather- in-law was inflicted with the disease.

His experience was not pleasant; in fact, I recall him describing the pain as excruciating. Approximately 20 % of North Americans develop shingles at some point in their life. Even though children can develop shingles, the risk begins to take off at age 40, and skyrockets after age 60. About two thirds of the people who get shingles do so after age 60; by the time you reach 85, you have a 50 percent chance of having had it.

As a result, RTO/ERO members should become informed about shingles. What is shingles? What causes it? How do you know you have it? How is shingles treated? Is it contagious? Can it be avoided?

Anyone who has had chicken pox can develop shingles since it is caused by the same virus. This painful skin rash is called the Varicella Zoster sometimes referred to as the ‘devil's whip' and is in the Herpes family of viruses (note that the herpes virus that causes shingles is not the same herpes virus that causes genital herpes). After the chicken pox illness passes, the problem never really goes away- the virus lives in part of the spinal cord in the nervous system and is never fully cleared from the body.

One's immune system keeps the virus dormant; however, it can be reactivated even after many years after one has had chicken pox. This ‘resurfacing' of the virus can occur when your immune system is not working at its best. As a person ages, their immune system tends to weaken, thus the prevalence of its development as people get older.

Other factors may include illness, stress, use of drugs that suppress the body's immune system (e.g. Corticosteroids for severe asthma), HIV infection, certain types of cancers, and radiation treatment.

When the virus "reawakens" and becomes active again, one may experience numbness, itching, severe pain, headaches, upset stomach, fever and the chills. These symptoms are often preceded by the prodome (early warning signs) before the rash appears. The skin rash usually appears three to five days after the symptoms appear. The rash itself is reddish, with many tiny, fluid-filled blisters. The blisters follow the path of individual nerves that come out of the spinal cord and appear as a band or a belt like pattern on an area of the skin. For a few days the rash spreads, although its extent varies from one person to another. The rash commonly occurs on one side of the trunk of the body. The blisters will break, dry out and then crust over. Shingles can result in persistent pain lasting for months and even years after the rash has gone away (post-herpetic neuralgia: {PHN}). Your doctor can have the fluid from your blisters analyzed to determine if you have the virus.

Shingles is contagious. Shingles can be spread from an affected person to children or adults who have not had the chicken pox. But instead of developing shingles, these people will develop chicken pox.

Once one has had chicken pox, one cannot catch shingles (or contract the virus) from someone else. Once infected, however, one has the potential to develop shingles later in life.

There are several effective treatments for shingles. Antiviral drugs fight the virus and work best if started within three days of developing the shingles rash. This will minimize the extent and spread of the rash and minimize the pain associated with it. Blisters will also crust over and heal faster. Anti-viral drugs may also help to reduce the risk of developing chronic pain shingles. Anti-viral drugs in use today include Acyclovir, Valacyclovir and Famciclovir.

Talk to your pharmacist about the use of over-the-counter medications such as Ibuprofen for the pain associated with PHN. Your doctor can prescribe other types of medication, for severe pain, that work to decrease the action of the pain fibers and alter the way the pain signals are interpreted by our brain.

To relieve itching and pain of shingles you can try applying Calamine lotion, using cool, moist compresses, soaking in the tub with cornstarch or oatmeal.

To prevent shingles, the first step is to avoid getting the chicken pox. If you have not had it, make sure you do not touch the blisters of people with either chicken pox or shingles. A vaccine is now available against the Varicella Zoster (shingles) virus for both adults and children.

Health Canada has recently approved a shingles vaccine (Zostavax). The RTO/ERO health plan covers the ingredient cost for the vaccine providing one has not reached the annual maximum limit. The Zostavax vaccine must be stored frozen at an average temperature of 15 degrees Celsius or colder until it is ready for injection. Please consult your doctor and pharmacist about the transportation and injection of the vaccine. Currently, not all clinics or physician's offices can accommodate these storage requirements. To find the nearest clinic or physician office that can accommodate the storage of Zostavax and administer the vaccine on-site please go to www.zostavax.ca/clinics.

Much has been learned about shingles including new ways to treat the disease. The other sign of hope is that the wide vaccination of chicken pox may essentially diminish both chicken pox and shingles. It was unfortunate that "gramps" did not have the treatments and vaccines that are readily available today, but I am sure that he would be pleased to know that current and future generations may not have to endure what others like him had to go through.

Sources: Medicinenet.com and Good Times: Manulife

3. Health Canada Renews Warning About Online Drug Purchases
A recent RCMP investigation has prompted Health Canada to remind Canadians of the potential dangers of purchasing drugs online. Health Canada is warning consumers that counterfeit drugs may contain incorrect doses, the wrong ingredients, dangerous additives, or no active ingredients at all, which could potentially result in serious health risks.

To minimize the risk of purchasing counterfeit drugs, consumers who choose to purchase their medications via the Internet should avoid doing business with any website or company that:

1. Refuses to give a street address, telephone number or way of contacting a pharmacist;
2. Offers prescription drugs without a prescription;
3. Offers to issue a prescription based on answers to an online questionnaire;
4. Claims to have a "miracle cure" for any serious condition;
5. Sells products that are not approved for sale in Canada; or
6. Sells products that are being provided directly to consumers from foreign sources.

Source: Health Canada, August 2009

4. Healthy Waistlines
Almost 60% of Canadian adults are overweight or obese. Obesity can increase your risk of diabetes four fold, increase your risk of high blood pressure three fold and more than double your risk for heart disease.

Your weight is not the only indicator of your health risk. Where you carry your weight is just as important as how much weight you carry.

A pear-shaped figure has a little extra weight around the hips and thighs. An apple-shaped body carries extra pounds around the waist. Studies have shown that those with an apple-shaped body are at a higher risk than those with a pear-shaped body.

Waist circumference is a good predictor of your risk for heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol and type-2 diabetes. The Heart and Stroke Foundation has put together the following guidelines for a healthy waistline; the waist circumference measurements do not apply to pregnant or breastfeeding women or people under the age of 18 or over the age of 65. If your waistline measurement is greater than, or close to, the limits noted below, you should speak to your healthcare provider about how to achieve a healthy weight through physical activity and healthy eating. If your waist circumference is approaching the limits noted below, your risk is starting to increase and you should take some steps now to reduce your waistline, and your risk of developing health problems.

Waist Circumference by Ethnicity and Gender (Male / Female)
a) European/Caucasian, Sub-Saharan Africans, Eastern Mediterranean, Middle Eastern: 102 cm (40 in) / 88 cm (35 in)
b) South Asian, Malaysian, Asian, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Ethnic South and Central Americans: 90 cm (35 in) / 80 cm (32 in)

Source: Heart and Stroke Foundation, August 2009

C. Drug Information Update

1. Paptiva® Withdrawn from Canadian Market
EMD Serono Canada Inc., the company that markets Raptiva (efalizumab) in Canada has, in consultation with Health Canada, decided to terminate the marketing of Raptiva in Canada, due to safety concerns.

Effective June 8, 2009, the drug will no longer be available on the Canadian market, and all markets globally.

The drug was authorized for treatment of plaque psoriasis in adult patients in October 2005, however, was suspended for sale in Canada in February 2009 following a number of adverse reaction incidents. It was determined at that time that the benefit of Raptiva was outweighed by the risk of developing a serious and potentially fatal brain infection. Health care providers in Canada were notified to switch their patients to other available alternative therapies, as Raptiva would no longer be available after three months.

Source: Health Canada, June 2009

2. Green Tea and Chemotherapy Study
Researchers at the University of Southern California have found that the use of green tea extract renders the chemotherapy drug Velcade (bortezomib) completely ineffective in treating cancer. The 2 types of cancers studied were multiple myeloma and mantle cell lymphoma. The study found that a component of green tea extract called EGCG destroys any anticancer activity of Velcade in tumor-bearing mice. The EGCG molecule and the Velcade molecule were able to form chemical bonds between each other, meaning that the Velcade molecule could no longer bind to its intended target inside the tumor cells.

Cancer patients often take green tea products to help reduce the side effects of chemotherapy treatment. However, the chemotherapy is unable to cause side effects as the green tea renders the Velcade inactive, resulting in the patient feeling better and concluding that the consumption of green tea helped cope with the side effects.

Source: BLOOD (Journal of the American Society of Hematology), June, 2009

Fact or Fiction

In English pubs, ale is ordered by pints and quarts... So in old England , when customers got unruly, the bartender would yell at them 'Mind your pints and quarts, and settle down.'
It's where we get the phrase 'mind your P's and Q's'

Each king in a deck of playing cards represents a great king from history:
Spades - King David
Hearts - Charlemagne
Clubs -Alexander, the Great
Diamonds - Julius Caesar

Many years ago in Scotland , a new game was invented.. It was ruled 'Gentlemen Only.... Ladies Forbidden'.. .and thus, the word GOLF entered into the English language.

If a statue in the park of a person on a horse has both front legs in the air, the person died in battle. If the horse has one front leg in the air, the person died because of wounds received in battle. If the horse has all four legs on the ground, the person died of natural causes.

It was the accepted practice in Babylon 4,000 years ago that for a month after the wedding, the bride's father would supply his son-in-law with all the mead he could drink. Mead is a honey beer and because their calendar was lunar based, this period was called the honey month, which we know today as the honeymoon.

In the 1400's a law was set forth in England that a man was allowed to beat his wife with a stick no thicker than his thumb.
Hence we have, 'the rule of thumb.'

Spinning Fiction into Public Opinion.
U.S. Opponents of Heallth Reform Are Making a Sport of Malligning Canada''s Heallth System
By Health Coalition Volunteer John Kneeland

The health care debate in the United States is heating up. In the face of virulent Republican opposition, Democrats have obtained the 60 votes necessary in the Senate to begin debate on the Senate health care reform bill. Republican ads are now targeting moderate Democrats who agreed to support debate on the bill.

A version of the bill passed by the House of Representatives has already been assessed by the Congressional Budget Office, which stated that it "would yield a net reduction in federal budget deficits of $109 billion over the 2010-2019 period." The CBO, which doesn't normally do projections for periods of over 10 years, cautions, "In the subsequent decade, the collective effect of its provisions would probably be slight reductions in federal budget deficits. Those estimates are all subject to substantial uncertainty."

The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, whose members include past directors of budget committees, the CBO, and the Federal Reserve Board, has also examined the bill, and is very careful in its assessment. "Done wisely," says CRFB, "health care reform could considerably slow economy-wide health care cost." But done poorly, says the organization, reform could exacerbate costs. The CRFB believes that in general, none of the bills go far enough in recommending strong measures to reduce the severe deficit picture in the United States.

All these are irrelevant niceties to Republicans, who have come not to praise health care reform, but to bury it. Soon after the Democratic victory in the Senate, Republican Mitch McConnell, Senate Minority Leader, appeared on CNN and claimed that the bill would bankrupt businesses, raise everyone's premiums, and add almost a trillion dollars to the deficit.

When asked for their own health reform plan, Republicans typically respond with talk about capping lawsuits, despite the fact that the cost of malpractice suits represents less than half a percent of U.S. health care spending. Still, in fear of suits, American doctors pay huge sums to for-profit firms for health insurance. For example, a neurosurgeon in Miami pays $237, 000 per year. Yet malpractice insurance for neurosurgeons in Canada ranges from a little over $10,000 per year to just under $30,000. This is because Canadian doctors receive blanket coverage through the non-profit Canadian Medical Protective Association, which also pays damages, no matter how much. All physicians in each category pay the same amount for insurance, regardless of how many claims have been filed against any one doctor.

While American doctors accumulate hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt to pay for a medical education, the schooling of Canadian doctors is mostly government- subsidized. Add to this the fact that, as a doctor in Florida once told me, any American physician typically has to deal with filling out paperwork for about 250 different HMOs, and it makes sense that many Canadian doctors choose to stay here to practice, regardless of the lure of big money in the U.S.

Nonetheless, it's a no-brainer that the American opposition to health reform, often major recipients of health insurance industry largesse, will continue to use Canada as an example of the terrifying spectre of government-run healthcare. And they are more than willing to stretch the truth to do it.

At the height of the Town Hall meetings on health care reform, Tom Coburn, Republican Junior Senator from Oklahoma, was asked by a questioner why he had such a problem with the idea of public healthcare. Coburn replied that he could give a good example of what's wrong with public healthcare: Canada. Death rates from cancer of all types, he said, were 30% higher in Canada than in the United States.

I guess Coburn, a physician, forgot to read the 2007 comprehensive review of Canadian and U.S. studies on health outcomes published in the peer-reviewed journal Open Medicine. This study found that outcomes were better in Canada. A study reported on by Health Affairs in 2008 ranked 19 industrialized nations by the percentage of patients who survive serious but treatable illnesses, both in 1997-1998 and 2002-2003. In those years, Canada moved from seventh to sixth on the list. The United States, originally ranked sixteenth, now plods along in last place.

In a 2008 Health Canada study, patients self-reported median wait times for MRIs and CAT scans of two weeks. Median wait time for a specialist or surgery was a little over four weeks. Most patients waited a maximum of three months.

Similar results were reported by Dr. David Zelt, Chief of Staff at Kingston General Hospital, an institution which, ironically, Mitch McConnell used in a speech on the Senate floor about the problems with Canadian health care.

In McConnell's hands, the wait time of 32 days for cardiac surgery at KGH was magically transformed into six months. Wait times for all cancers, McConnell maintained, were upwards of three months. In reality, the waiting period at KGH is eight days for neurosurgical cancer, 16 days for breast cancer, and 49 days for prostate cancer.

McConnell inflated the wait of 109 days for knee replacement surgery into 340 days.

Zelt considered McConnell's exaggerations so egregious that he sent him a letter in which he stated, "You have maligned a very proud institution whose service to our community dates back some 170 years." Tory Senator Hugh Segal rebuked McConnell on the floor of the Canadian Senate, and noted that the expected life span in Kentucky, McConnell's home state, is 75.2 years, while in Kingston, it is 78.3 years.

McConnell was one of the Republicans who attempted to make political hay out of the Shona Holmes case. Holmes, from Waterdown, Ontario, appeared in a series of ads sponsored by Citizens United Now, claiming that she had been forced to go to the United States to have a brain tumor treated. She said that she was unable to obtain treatment in Canada, where, she said, healthcare "certainly isn't free."

Holmes was invited to testify before the House Energy and Commerce Committee, to whom she said, "If I had relied on my own government-run health care system in Canada, I would not be sitting here before you today. At the very best, I would be blind and the very worst I would be dead."

In a subsequent appearance on Fox News, Holmes told the interviewer that her American friends advised getting another doctor. She then falsely claimed, "that is something we are just not allowed to do here in Canada."

Dr. Rolando Del Maestro, director of the brain tumour research centre at the Montreal Neurological Institute, calls Holmes' claim "an exaggeration." He says the lesion Holmes was diagnosed with, a Rathke's cleft cyst, is benign, and usually slow-growing. It typically does not require urgent attention, he said. He adds, "If it's a real emergency in the sense that the patient's visual function is getting substantially worse, the patients would be brought in immediately and would be operated on the next day."

Neurosurgeon Michael Schwartz of Toronto's Sunnybrook Hospital says he's never seen or heard of a death from a Rathke's cyst. He told CBC News that the cyst can be drained or partially removed to take pressure off the optic nerve. "Then the person's vision almost always improves," he says, and the symptoms disappear.

Holmes paid almost $100,000 to have the cyst removed at the Mayo clinic in Arizona. Even Fredric Meyer, M.D., chair of neurosurgery at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., says that "RCC is a benign lesion and is not typically life-threatening."

The group that paid for the Shona Holmes ads, Citizens United Now, is an offshoot of Americans for Prosperity, one of the groups behind Tea Party Protests in the United States. Americans for Prosperity is funded by the Koch Family of Foundations, and was founded by David Koch, a descendant of ultra- conservative oil baron Charles Koch.

While disavowing Canadian health care, Holmes was still enough of a believer in government-funded medicine to demand reimbursement from OHIP for her expenses. When she was refused, Holmes filed suit, claiming that Ontario had violated her Charter right to timely medical care. Her suit is being funded by the Canadian Constitution Foundation, a conservative pro-business organization closely linked to the Fraser Institute. The CCF is mounting a campaign to bring privatization to Canada.

Those who criticize Canada's system should be aware that U.S. citizens who can't afford ongoing medical treatment and don't qualify for Medicare or Medicaid simply have no recourse. Over forty thousand deaths per year occur in the United States among them.

Many American doctors believe that a single-payer system similar to Canada's is the only practical solution to their problems. They look to our system as a model of humane and efficient delivery of care. It's something that we shouldn't take for granted. www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca

Medicare On Trial
B.C. Government, Patients and "Dr. Profit" Brian Day Face Off in the B.C. Supreme Court

On November 17, the BC Supreme Court ruled that the B.C. government could audit Dr. Brian Day's private for-profit surgical hospitals, something Day had been fighting for almost a year.

The court also ruled that a case by a for-profit health care lobby group challenging the constitutionality of public medicare would be heard in the B.C. Supreme Court. Brian Day sits on the board of the lobby group along with William Oravan (involved in the attempt to bring in private surgeries in Ontario in the last election), Don Copeman (of the private physician clinics charging patients thousands of dollars in "membership fees" that we stopped in Ontario), Mark Godley of the False Creek private clinics and a host of other for-profit clinic owners. Day was nicknamed "Dr. Profit" by the Council of Canadians.

Day has admitted that his private hospitals' billing practices are in violation to B.C's Medicare Protection Act. The clinics charge the public health plan and also extra-bill patients thousands of dollars for the same procedures in what they call "facility fees".

In a sworn affidavit dated July 23, Bob DeFaye, the chair of the Medical Services Commission of the B.C. government, alleged, "When the Commission made its decision to audit the clinics, it was aware of correspondence from approximately 30 individuals, from which it concluded that the clinics, either individually or together, had charged beneficiaries for medically required service in contravention of the Act."

The B.C. Health Coalition, Canadian Doctors for Medicare, two doctors and two patients have been granted "intervener status" in the court proceedings and will be arguing for the protection of single-tier medicare and the improvement to access to care in the public system.

The audits of Day's for-profit operations will begin this March. They are the culmination of a year of court actions and the beginning of a Supreme Court challenge that holds significant consequences for the future of Public Medicare across Canada.

In December 2008, patients took the B.C. government to court arguing that the province's for-profit clinics were regularly charging unlawful user-fees and extra-billing patients for procedures that should be covered under the public health system. They demanded that the B.C. government enforce their Medicare Protection Act and protect patients against the billing practices of the clinics that are posing a threat to single-tier health care.

Last January, the private clinics responded with a lawsuit of their own. Day's private hospital corporation and the private clinics' lobby launched their case claiming that the public medicare system is unconstitutional. Day's hospitals refused access to government auditors looking into extra-billing complaints by patients, and asked the court to refuse the government the right to audit their operations. The court ruled in favour of the government audits, but is also going to hear the constitutional challenge to medicare.

In a major report, written by the Ontario Health Coalition and sponsored by Health Coalitions across Canada in 2008, we found 89 violations of the Canada Health Act in 5 provinces. In British Columbia, we found 29 clinics that we suspect are violating the Act's prohibition of extra-billing, user fees for patients and queue-jumping. Prices were exorbitant; far above the reach of most B.C. residents whose average annual income according to Statistics Canada was $24,000 in 2005. Partial knee replacements were being sold for $13- 20,000 and MRI prices ranged from $500 - $2,200.

The patients who started the first lawsuit have told the press that they took the government to court to enforce single-tier medicare because they are concerned that B.C. patients are being denied access to care based on their wealth, not medical need. Watch for next steps after the B.C. government has audited the clinics and completed its investigation into their billing practices.

What is certain is that the stakes - for all Canadians - are high. As Leslie Dickout of the B.C. Health Coalition described Day's court challenge to The Tyee (independent online news source in B.C.), "This lawsuit threatens Canadians' ability to access affordable health care when they need it. It threatens the principles of equality and fairness that are fundamental to our Canadian health care system."

Web Alert
by Dianne Fair

Get Your Stony Bridges On-line
Currently we send a copy of Stony Bridges in February, August and November to each of our 2200+ members by mail. This costs about $1.50 per copy for printing and mailing.

Members in many organizations have chosen to receive such newsletters ‘online' rather than in hard copy thus saving costs to their organization while making a real contribution towards the environmentally-friendly program of ‘reducing and recycling'.

For members like you who are on the Internet, we can offer this opportunity to you. This is the way it works:

The program would begin for you with the August, 2010 Stony Bridges. When this and future Stony Bridges have been posted, you will receive a prompt e-mail to that affect including a direct link to: www.rtoerotorontodistricts.org where it is posted; go to North York- District 23 and then go to Newsletter (at the top). A user-friendly copy in blue of the current Stony appears. Copies of forms or coupons are made easy to print. If you wish to print certain parts of the Stony, use the ‘cut, paste, and print' process; if you wish to see Stony as it was printed and sent as hard copy to members then go to (Download the PDF Version here) which is just under the title Stony Bridges.

To implement this option, please consult the ‘Information Required' on page 35 and send it to Dianne Fair (our Webmaster) by e-mail at diannefair@rogers.com. Dianne will be working with George Meek, (Newsletter Distribution Convener) in administering this program.

We hope you will try this process in the interests of the environment and saving costs to the District (which can be used elsewhere in the interests of the members). The current edition of Stony is already posted on our website as indicated above in both formats. Please go there and see how user-friendly it really is.

Note: Previous editions of Stony for the current year are also available‘on-line'.

If after you have tried Stony ‘on-line' and find it does not meet your needs, please let Dianne know by e-mail and you will begin to receive your Stony in hard copy by mail starting with the next edition.

If you wish to register for Stony On-Line, see below.

What's New?
The District 23 Homepage Slideshow is featuring the Holiday Luncheon. Also check out new photos added since the last issue of STONY. Member Survey: Thank you to those who answered the survey in November.

Stony Online
To date 158 members have opted to receive their STONY BRIDGES online. You can get yours online too. See the details to the left.

Attention: Amateur Photographers
We are now inviting members who have a love of photography to share a few of their favourite pictures online. Simply send photos to me at diannefair@rogers.com and I will see that they are posted on the District 23 website. There will be a link on the home page entitled Amateur Photographers. A maximum of 10 photos can be shared each month.

Remember
District 23 information can be found on our website.

Log on to view... Activities, Photos, Member Services, Newsletters Executive Members and more.

 www.rtoerotorontodistricts.org

Travelers Guiding Travelers
by Dianne Fair

We are starting a new feature on the website and are hoping you will join the team.

Many of our members love to travel and some are keen to plan trips on their own. Last fall I had the opportunity to travel to Barcelona. When organizing my trip, I was able to contact another District 23 member who is now living in Barcelona.

Don Stewart and his wife Lynda willingly shared their enthusiasm for Barcelona and provided a lot of useful tips for making my trip a memorable one. They have volunteered to be our first trip advisors.

In Don's words, "Lynda and I would be willing to help you get acquainted with our favorite city in the world. Just send us an e-mail and we will try to help you in any way we can."

If you have a favourite travel spot, and would be willing to act as an advisor to fellow District 23 travelers, please send your e-mail address to me, diannefair@rogers.com

Please include a brief outline of the travel destination(s) you are willing share information on. This information will appear on the website under a new heading: TRAVEL.

Goodwill Report
by Maureen Capotosto
905.883.1496 / mpcapotosto@sympatico.ca

The Goodwill Committee and your Executive of District 23 are committed to maintaining contact with our older members and those who may be confined. If you know of a member who would appreciate support from us please let us know by calling the Goodwill Convener or an Executive member.

In Sympathy
Each year RTO/ERO District 23 North York makes a donation to the following charities: Alzheimer Society of Toronto, The Canadian Cancer Society, and The Heart and Stroke Foundation in honour of our members who have passed away.

Service To Others
While we have officially concluded Eileen's Project with a final donation of knitted items, we have established a connection with the Teresa group that will carry on. Money has been donated and knitted items will be created and passed on. Constance Nobes, Volunteer Coordinator assures me that the many knitted scarves, hats, and mittens already donated disappeared in no time. We will keep you posted as other volunteer opportunities arise with them. You can also contact Constance Nobes at volunteer.support@on.aibn.com or 416.596.7703.

Thank you for the proposals we have received for our submission for the Project - Service to Others 2010. We are preparing an application for an initiative that supports the concept of "Service to Others". The intent is to raise the profile of retired teachers by visibly demonstrating to active teachers and to the public-at-large that retired teachers care about their communities and about public education, and are willing to do something to help those who need assistance. We will report on our project in a future newsletter.

Significant Birthdays
Beginning in 2010 we are personally inviting members celebrating their 90th birthday (born in 1920) to attend the AGM and Spring Luncheon as our guest. Look for your invitation in the mail or contact the Goodwill Convener for more details.

We will also do our best to recognize members reaching milestone birthdays (80, 85, 90, 95, …). In honour of our members who reach these significant birthdays, District 23 will be making an annual donation to the nutrition programs that support students in the Toronto schools.

Were You Born in 1940?
If so, then you are entitled to attend the Annual General Meeting and Spring Luncheon for free. Details regarding the date and location are on page 30. Please join us to celebrate your 70th year by sending in your RSVP and noting that you are one of our birthday guests.

Did You Know?
The Annual General Meeting is held on Wednesday, May 26 along with the Spring Luncheon. This event is subsidized by RTO/ERO District 23 North York for all members. The actual cost is $31 but each member is only charged $16. We do this because we believe it is important for our members to attend this important meeting. You have an opportunity to learn about how your executive operates and get up-dates on all the activities connected with our organization. As well, this is an opportunity to connect with friends and fellow members as you enjoy a delightful luncheon in a very pleasant setting. Please join us. You will find a registration form on page 30 to submit along with your cheque.

Pension and Retirement Concerns
by Andrée Nottage

Would you like to know more about the Ontario Teachers Pension Plan? Plan to attend the upcoming Annual General Meeting of OTPP, to be held in Toronto, in April of this year. Log on to www.otpp.com for the precise date, time and location of the AGM, and follow the link for registration procedures. You may also phone 1.800.668.0105. Don t miss this opportunity to become better informed about pension matters.

Event Photos