Last
Thursday, May 13th, 2021 in the province of Ontario, coverage for ContinuousGlucose Monitors and Flash Glucose Monitor ( CGM / FGM ) for Type 1 Diabetics was sadly defeated. We diabetics in this province are very
fortunate that tax payers of Ontario currently fund our insulin pumps and some of our supplies through the Assistive Devices Program ( ADP ). I am one of those working stiffs, that pays their taxes diligently to support
important programs like this and feel like I've been slapped in the face hard.
32 Nahs / 14 Ayes
For many of
us who advocate for the use of CGM / FGM, especially ones that do not have
work/private/provincial assistance to purchase this life saving piece of
technology this is a pretty hard hit! Compiling the list of the “Nahs”
list and seeing the faces of the Ministers and how they represent us, started
to make my blood boil up (stress is not good for anyone, but with diabetes, it
can cause blood sugars to rise … and the CGM will show it off with rising
arrows and alarms).
If you were 1 of the just over 2,000 people that signed to push this bill through, fantastic! Many of us reposted the petition asking fellow Canadians to sign, because if this had gone through, other provinces would hopefully follow suit.
John Whitehead stated to the public on his Facebook page that reflects in a nutshell my thoughts -
“So yesterday in Ontario, CGM for all was defeated. Who should we be mad at? Of course the current in power government with the voting power to defeat it is one.
But who else is part of this defeat? You are not going to like this answer. Go to a mirror look at it, if you signed the petition give a high 5, if you didn't sign the answer is staring you in the face.
Just over 2000 people signed to push this bill. Other organizations or causes get 20,000 signatures in a week.
If you sat in the government which causes would you focus on? The more noise the more focus and attention given to it.”
OVERALL A BAD DAY FOR ONTARIO
That last statement above in BOLD RED, pretty well sums it up for me as an advocate trying to make living with T1D less complicated for ALL so we can live our lives to the fullest. To not be a burden on our medical system that even with the current Pandemic, has been flailing with budget cuts to make corporations happy (the joys of a Conservative government ... NOT). I would love to put those 32 members into our shoes for even 24-48 hours or spend time with us, to see how diabetes affects each one of us differently, even if we do the same thing every day in our workplace / private lives. Would they perhaps have voted differently?
Thank you if you’ve taken the time to read this
far, are living in Ontario (or even if you’re not), consider sending an email
to the MPP’s listed below who had signed Nah (what a horrible word to use for
No) … let us be heard. I know that even though
I don’t notice my MPP’s name on the list, I’ll be writing to each and every one
of those listed below, so that they hopefully understand how important these devices are and how the
initial cost factor to the province/tax payers will reap benefits with having
healthy Ontarian’s living in their province.
If you need further information such as snail mail address, etc. you can find the details easily using the link for the Legislative Office at the following Ontario Legislative website -
Deepak Anand (Mississauga—Malton) - deepak.anand@pc.ola.org
Aris Babikian (Scarborough—Agincourt) - aris.babikian@pc.ola.org
Robert Bailey (Sarnia—Lambton) - bob.bailey@pc.ola.org
Hon. Paul Calandra (Markham—Stouffville) - paul.calandra@pc.ola.org
Stan Cho (Willowdale) - stan.cho@pc.ola.org
Lorne Coe (Whitby) - lorne.coe@pc.ola.org
Rudy Cuzzetto (Mississauga—Lakeshore) - rudy.cuzzetto@pc.ola.org
Hon. Doug Downey (Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte) - doug.downey@pc.ola.org
Hon. Jill Dunlop (Simcoe North) - jill.dunlop@pc.ola.org
Hon. Christine Elliott (Newmarket—Aurora) - christine.elliott@pc.ola.org
Goldie Ghamari (Carleton) - goldie.ghamari@pc.ola.org
Mike Harris (Kitchener—Conestoga) - mike.harris@pc.ola.org
Christine Hogarth (Etobicoke—Lakeshore) - christine.hogarth@pc.ola.org
Hon. Sylvia Jones (Dufferin—Caledon) - sylvia.jones@pc.ola.org
Andrea Khanjin (Barrie—Innisfil) - andrea.khanjin@pc.ola.org
Daryl Kramp (Hastings—Lennox and Addington) - daryl.kramp@pc.ola.org
Hon. Stephen Lecce (King—Vaughan) - stephen.lecce@pc.ola.org
Hon. Monte McNaughton (Lambton—Kent—Middlesex) - monte.mcnaughtonco@pc.ola.org
Norman Miller (Parry Sound—Muskoka) -norm.miller@pc.ola.org
Sam Oosterhoff (Niagara West) - sam.oosterhoff@pc.ola.org
Randy Pettapiece (Perth—Wellington) - randy.pettapiece@pc.ola.org
David Piccini (Northumberland—Peterborough South) - david.piccini@pc.ola.org
Jeremy Roberts (Ottawa West—Nepean) - jeremy.roberts@pc.ola.org
Hon. Laurie Scott (Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock) - laurie.scott@pc.ola.org
Donna Skelly (Flamborough—Glanbrook) - donna.skelly@pc.ola.org
Hon. Todd Smith (Bay of Quinte) - todd.smithco@pc.ola.org
Dave Smith (Peterborough—Kawartha) - dave.smith@pc.ola.org
Hon. Kinga Surma (Etobicoke Centre) - kinga.surma@pc.ola.org
Vijay Thanigasalam (Scarborough—Rouge Park) - vijay.thanigasalam@pc.ola.org
Hon. Lisa M. Thompson (Huron—Bruce) - lisa.thompson@pc.ola.org
Hon. Bill Walker (Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound) - bill.walker@pc.ola.org
Hon. John Yakabuski (Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke) - john.yakabuski@pc.ola.org
