Bill C-51 -- Big Brother knows best, apparently.

OH, how the mighty have fallen! In the good old days, doctors were regarded with the utmost respect, and if the doc ordered it, you can be sure the patients would do it. There was no questioning of a doc's opinion. I remember the attitude of my parents' generation very well.

Mine is different, I have to say. I am a bit suspicious of the medical community. I know that many, many ( probably most) doctors and nurses are dedicated, passionate people. They care for their patients and desire to see the best for them. However, they don't necessarily know it all.

My doc is a bit leery of chiropractors, for instance. He'd far rather have sent me to physiotherapy after my accident. I chose to go to a chiropractor who really helped me, not only physically, but emotionally. She was there for me when I was discouraged about my slow progress. She cheered me on when I was taking two steps forward and one step back. She encouraged me to keep on moving, to keep on trying, and to see the progress I was making, however limited.

My doc doesn't understand homeopathy at all. Yet when he couldn't give me any good advice regarding the pain in my breast from the seatbelt injury, it was a homeopathic remedy that sped up the healing and took away the sharp, stabbing pain.

So, even though I appreciate my doctor's advice, I tend to look to other, alternative sources of information. Darn lucky (providential!) I did, because it was in so doing that I discovered, with help from my sister and my daughters, that I have celiac disease. Through reading and researching, I have found out what foods harm me and cause those many and varied symptoms I suffered from for many years.

I resent that the medical community never helped my mom, even though she attended her doctor's office regularly. They didn't ever put two and two together. They treated her symptoms, but never got the whole picture. So, instead of realizing that her gas, her bloating, her anemia, her seizures, her joint pain, her fatigue, her dark circles and her skin problems were a result of celiac disease, which could have been treated by a change of diet, they treated each of the symptoms separately. She died of cancer at only 65; so did my grandmother.

So, I am a fan of Natural Health Products. I like my naturopath. I appreciate the common sense of my chiropractor. I own the "Bible" of health nuts: Prescription for Nutritional Healing...and the advice therein has benefitted my family.

Which brings me to my point: I believe that Bill C-51 would be a detriment to Canadians. It would severely limit our options to seek alternative health care. It would deny me access to those supplements and remedies that have made a radical difference in my life.

I phoned the Prime Minister's office today. I phoned the Minister of Health and talked to his assistant. I phoned my own MP, Paul Steckle. And this is why:

In Canada Natural Health Products (NHPs) are endangered!

Under Bill C-51, Natural Health Products are subject to strict licensing requirements.
60% of these license applications have failed, and at least 75% are expected to fail. This means that 75% of the NHPs many Canadians rely upon could become illegal.

Bill C-51 will:

Outlaw nearly all NHPs
Criminalize the use of herbs
Favour drug/medical treatments
Ignore your constitutional rights
Impose U.S. laws on Canadians

URGENT CALL TO ACTION

Bill C-51 was introduced into the House of Commons on April 8, 2008.
The Bill is not law yet, but will become law unless Canadians act
quickly. It's essential to let key Members of Parliament know that:

• you are opposed to the police state powers in Bill C-51

• you want them to vote against Bill C-51

• you want access to natural health products protected

Send a hand written letter to:

Your local member of parliament
Prime Minister Stephen Harper
Tony Clement, the Minister of Health

You can send letters without postage to:

Name of person ie. Stephen Harper
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6

Stephen Harper's ph# (613) 992-4211 and (403) 253-7990
Tony Clement's ph# (613) 944-7740 and (705) 746-9053

PLEASE ACT NOW!

For more info: www.nhppa.org

And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed,
which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the
which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for
meat - Genesis 1:29.