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An Open Letter to my MPP, the Minster of Health, and the NDP Health Critic

This is an e-mail I recently sent to my MPP, the Minister of Health and Long-term care for Ontario, and the Official Opposition's Health Critic. Their replies, should I receive any, will be posted here as well (hopefully).

To The Honourable Lou Rinaldi, MPP Northumberland-Quinte West; The Honourable Bas Balkissoon, Minister of Health and Long-term Care; and The Honourable France Gélinas, Critic, Health and Long-term Care,

I am a new resident of Quinte West. My husband was posted to CFB Trenton in June, and since then I have been attempting to secure a family physician. The family medical clinic on base is understaffed and unable to accept new patients, despite a mandate to serve the military community. None of the local physicians in Trenton, Belleville, or Napanee are accepting new patients either, despite indications to the contrary on the Ontario College of Physicians web site. We faced similar circumstances at our last posting, Petawawa, where I had to travel 160 km to see a family doctor in Vanier (Ottawa).

My husband and I are eager to start a family in the next few years; however, it is too big a medical risk to assume without access to regular check-ups by a primary care physician. Even if I were able to find a doctor within a reasonable commute from our home, there is no gaurantee I would be able to find a pediatrician for our child.

I would like to know what the current Provincial Government and the Official Opposition are willing to do to ensure that Canadians in smaller centres or rural areas have reasonable access to family physicians. It is unreasonable to ask us to rely on walk-in clinics or the local Emergency Department for regular check-ups and non-acute illnesses. I need a physician, and I need one now.

Sincerely,

[[name and address witheld]]

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Angry letter day

I know I got up on the right side of the bed this morning, but for some reason I am angry and I am not going to take it anymore! Taking a page out of the book of fellow blogger Angryman, I decided to follow his advice on letters to the Editor, and let people know how I really feel.

First up, the Pembroke Daily Observer. For the most part, our local paper is really just a collection of wire stories and local human-interest pieces (today's front page headline was about someone getting a new wheelchair). But even local feel-good rags have opinion columns, and it turns out they can be pretty ill informed. Case in point: Ivy Stewart. A member of the "community Editorial Board", Ivy decided to write about the idea of equality, and totally missed the mark.
In the interest of not jeopardising my chances of my letter gracing the paper's pages, I have chosen not to reproduce it here until I know that I am or am not going to be published.

Second on the hit list, Sir Paul and his wife's interview on Larry King live. First, let me say this: Danny Williams, you the man! An aging hippy has no business telling you how to run your province's economy! Thank you for truly Standing Up for Canada. Mr. Harper, take note.
To Sir Paul: Could your wife be any less eloquent? If you don't believe me, check out the transcript of the interview. She sounds like a teenager. I mean, I know she's young, but can't you get her some elocution lessons or something?

And so, Saedigh's response went a little something like this:

Dear Mr. King,

When will celebrities learn that talent in one area (in the case of Sir Paul, music), does not necssarily translate to talent in another (politics)?

Canada's annual seal hunt is one part of a multi-faceted approach to the conservation of the North Atlantic's fish stocks. Fish stocks that have been raped by the irresponsible tactics of France, Spain, and Portugal, countries who do nothing to protect this resource.

I question Sir Paul's opinion of the commercial fishermen who participate in the hunt during their "off season". If he had ever visited a Newfoundland outport, he would realise that these communities can ill afford to turn down economic opportunity. Government handouts are not an option, nor should they be. Participating in a responsibly controlled hunt is not a blight on the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. If Sir Paul had bothered to educate himself on the other side of this issue by meeting with the sealers and their representatives, and not simply by digesting enviroterrorist propaganda, he would hopefully realise the error of his ways.

If he wants to lead a crusade against needless animal slaughter, he would do well to start at home in Europe, with the barbaric customs of fox hunting, badger baiting, and bull fighting: "sports" that make no use of the animals killed under far less humane circumstances.

Sincerely,
Saedigh

Now, I know that "enviroterrorist" comes off as harsh, but inflammatory can get results (in this case, publication). I do support green efforts, but I also realise that the human species has pushed the balance too far to have it be naturally restored through non-intervention. At this point, responsible management and conservation are the intelligent options. Cavorting with seal pups on ice flows is nothing more than a photo op.

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Saedigh's Hit List: entry no. 1

Bell Canada

I have managed to avoid dealing with Ma Bell for over a year now, since getting rid of my landline last summer and moving to a strictly wireless existence. Unfortunately, now that I will be working from home in the P-broke, I have no choice but to sign up for residential service so that I can communicate with the office in Ottawa. I am okay with this, since I won't be paying the phone company, my employer will. But I still have to deal with the most annoying, poorly run corporation in Canada to get the service set up.

First, they give me a number already assigned to another customer. Fine, whatever, I hadn't given it out yet.

Now they are changing my installation appointment from Nov. 28th to Nov. 29th. Which would be fine, IF I WAS GOING TO BE HOME ON NOV. 29TH!!!! The reason I specifically ASKED for the 28th was because I have the 28th off work. On the 29th, I have to report back to Ottawa. The only one who would be home to let in a technician would be Dexter, and I have worked hard to train him not to talk to strangers.

Of course, they left this message for me at 5:59 PM last night, and their customer service desk closes at exactly 6 PM. So now I am sitting here, on hold, waiting for an explanation as to why their appointment-scheduling computer consistently hands out appointments that don't exist. Because, you see, this is not the first time it has happened to me. It has happened every time I have ever required any sort of service from Bell. It is one of the many, many, many reasons why I avoided dealing with them for so long, and why I will be signing up for an alternative as soon as one is available in the Pembroke area.

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Midget. Midgetmidgetmidgetmidgetmidget.

An open letter to MuchMusic's Video On Trial:

Why did you beep out the word "midget" (can I even type it here? Now I'm paranoid) on your recent episode airing Seether's truly horrendous Truth video? Granted, the person in the video wasn't actually a midget, in that they weren't so proportioned. But seriously. You let 50 cent say far more offensive things than simply describing another person's small stature.

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To Michaelle Jean

Dear Ms. Jean,

Congratulations on becoming Canada's next Governor General. It's about time we had an injection of youth in an otherwise staid and archaic office. You do have impeccable fashion sense.

Some people are likely going to draw comparisons between you and our former GG, Ms. Clarkson. You have similar backgrounds as reporters for the CBC. You're both perceived as being part of the "arts" community. To the people likely to draw these comparisons, these similarities will probably be seen as negatives. And that is why you have to do everything in your power as Canada's figurehead to prove them wrong. Luckily, I am here to help you.

It's really important that you remember that you are the Queen's representative in Canada. Outside of Canada, the Queen can represent herself and we have Paul Martin to act on our behalf. Well, for now we do. But at any rate, it's not really your job. If you want to take 50 of your closest friends on a circumpolar tour, you should do what other Canadians do, and save your money. I would suggest opening an ING account. Their interest rates really are very competitive.

It's also important to remember that Canadians pay a heck of a lot of taxes. I have 40% of my income docked at source, and am priveleged to donate another 15% of every purchase I make to the Government's coffers. That money should be used for things like education, health care, preserving our natural resources, and defending ourselves against extremists, such as people who want intelligent design taught in our science classrooms. It shouldn't be used to fly you to your cottage for Labour Day. You should also ask if your office really requires a budget of $40 million per year. I know that part of that is probably upkeep at Rideau Hall, but do you really think you will need to use all those rooms? Restricting yourself to four or five would probably save a lot of energy.

Finally, if you would like to leave a better taste in the mouths of Canadians than did your predecessor, I have three words for you: transparency, transparency, and transparency. I know, that's one word three times, but I did that to make a point about just how important it is. If you want me to pay for a trip to New York, tell me why you are going and how it will benefit me as a Canadian. Having tea with Pamela Wallin might give you two a nice opportunity to catch up, but it's not really going to draw much attention to the plight of Canadian farmers, slow the breakdown of our healthcare system, or make any Sea Kings more air-worthy.

I think if you just keep these three simple points in mind you will enjoy your tenure as Canada's Head of State, and Canadians will appreciate you that much more.

Best of Luck,

Saedigh

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To the Girl in the Changeroom at Banana Republic

Dear Changing Room Girl,

When you are a size 0, you no longer have the right to complain in a public dressing room about how the skirt you are trying on in said size makes you look "like a cow". You do not have fat knees. And you do not elicit sympathy from the girl in the stall next to you. You make her want to break down your door and forcefeed you poutine.
Save it for your blue dragonfly forums.

Sincerely,
Saedigh

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