On October 29, 2010 World Stroke Day the Opportunity for Treating Stroke Widens

Extending the time for administering life-saving clot busting therapy from 3 to 4 and a half hours means that more people will be treated

TORONTO, October 29, 2010 /Canada NewsWire/ - Paramedics working in the province of Ontario will soon be able to transport more people who suffer a sudden onset of stroke symptoms to the designated stroke centre so that they can receive thrombolytic therapy, according to a new protocol to be released this fall in the Revised Paramedic Prompt Card for Acute Stroke Protocol Training Bulletin for Paramedics by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care Emergency Health Services Branch in collaboration with the Ontario Stroke Network.

Now, new stroke patients have up to 4.5 hours from the sudden onset of their symptoms to possibly be treated with clot busting drugs. Before the protocol was revised, they had 3 hours. However, people who suffer from a sudden onset of stroke symptoms shouldn't wait; they should call 9-1-1 immediately or their local emergency number in order to get to a stroke centre to optimize treatment benefit.

Remember Time is Brain.

"The window for treatment has expanded from 3 to 4.5 hours, so the paramedics have to get the patient there an hour before so the tests can be done to make sure the patient qualifies for treatment," said Jason Prpic, MD, Emergency Physician representative for the Ontario Stroke Network and President of Sudbury Emergency Services in Sudbury. "Currently, paramedics in Ontario bypass certain hospitals and go straight to a stroke center. This way they will not delay the treatment by going to a hospital that cannot offer thrombolysis (clot busting drug)."
However, he cautioned, "Just because you have more time doesn't mean you should take more time. You still want to get to care as fast as you can."

"The extra 90 minutes means that many more patients will be able to be treated," said Cheryl Moher, Regional Program Manager for the Central East Stroke Network in Barrie. "In the past we have had a 3 hour time window from the onset of stroke symptoms until the drug could be delivered. But you really need a very tight system for that to work," Ms Moher said. "Through research, we now know that we can extend that time safely to a 4.5 hour window. This doesn't mean that people with stroke should take more time to call 9-1-1, but it means that more people may benefit because of the extension of this window." First and foremost, everyone must know the warning signs of stroke and act immediately if they or someone else has any symptoms, said Ms Moher. "Stroke can be treated".

The new protocol is based on the findings from a large European study that included almost 24,000 patients with acute stroke. Of these patients, some 2400 were treated with the thrombolytic drug alteplase in the extended time window, three to four and a half hours after their stroke symptoms began.

The investigators believed that extending the treatment window would be safe, and they were right. The patients who were treated up to 4.5 hours after the onset of their stroke symptoms also had positive results from the treatment.

Tom Bedford, Manager of Ambulance Services and Emergency Programs Lennox-Addington County added: "Paramedic services have been closely involved in the development of the out-of-hospital portion of the Ontario stroke protocol. Stroke is now treatable due to the input and assistance of the paramedics. It's a testimony to the cooperation between the pre-hospital and the medical communities."

Today, October 29, 2010 is World Stroke Day, and the World Stroke Organization is launching a campaign titled "One in Six". The purpose of the campaign is to bring awareness that "One in Six" people world wide will have a stroke in their lifetime and that everyone is at risk for having a stroke and the situation could worsen. The "One in Six" campaign communicates that stroke is preventable and people who have a stroke can recover and regain quality of life. The "One in Six" two year campaign focuses on six challenges to reduce the risk of stroke and its effects:

...Know your risk factors (high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol)

...Be physically active and exercise regularly

...Avoid obesity by eating a healthy diet

...Limit alcohol consumption

...Avoid cigarette smoke. If you smoke, seek help to learn how to quit.

...Learning and recognize the warning signs of stroke and call 911 or your local emergency number

According to information from the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, the warning signs of stroke are the following:

...Weakness - Sudden loss of strength or sudden numbness in the face, arm or leg, even if temporary.

...Trouble speaking-Sudden difficulty speaking or understanding or sudden confusion, even if temporary

...Vision problems - Sudden trouble with vision, even if temporary

...Headache - Sudden severe and unusual headache

...Dizziness - Sudden loss of balance, especially with any of the above signs

Doro® Makes Life A Little Easier For Canada's Active Seniors

Swedish firm launches Doro PhoneEasy® 410gsm, first mobile phone in Canada for seniors, exclusively with Rogers

TORONTO, October 28, 2010 /Canada NewsWire/ - Doro®, the innovative award-winning Swedish telecom company devoted to creating smart, easy-to-use, and stylish mobile phones for active seniors, announced today the launch of the Doro PhoneEasy® 410gsm available exclusively from Rogers Communications Inc.

The new Doro PhoneEasy® 410gsm is an ergonomically designed handset optimized with a number of senior-friendly features. From its ergonomic flip phone design - making it easier to answer and hang up, as well as reducing key lock issues - to the large buttons for easier dialing and texting, the award-winning phone is exactly the simple mobile phone that many people want and need.

Other features on the Doro® 410gsm handset include: a large easy-to-read colour display; an FM radio with headphone jack; a loud and clear (+35dB) vibrating ringer; a wake-up alarm; and an emergency function that automatically calls and sends an SMS alarm to preset numbers at the push of a single button. It is also hearing aid compatible (T3/M4).

"A mobile phone can make a big change in a senior's life," says Jérôme Arnaud, President and CEO of Doro. "It creates an instant connection to everyone in your life - either through phone or SMS - and allows you to feel that much more secure about maintaining the lifestyle you want."

The Doro® 410gsm, one of Doro's most successful mobile phones, was rated the best phone for seniors by the independent German testing institute Stiftung Warentest (March 2010) as well in comparative tests by Dagens Nyheter in Sweden, and ranked best-in-test by Computer Bild. Doro has also received the coveted Red Dot Design Award, an international product design prize awarded by the Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen in Essen, Germany.

Doro is no stranger to meeting the needs of this niche market. The global leader in making handsets and other lifestyle items for the growing seniors market has been working in the telecom business since 1974. After dominating the Swedish market with its modern ergonomic designs, it has gone on to sell its products in 30 countries on five continents.

Adding to a long history of firsts, Rogers has created the Essential Connect™ package pairing the Doro PhoneEasy with innovative and affordable price plans to help keep mature Canadians connected to what matters most to them anywhere, anytime. The voice-only plans start at $15 per month (plus Government Regulatory Recovery Fee) for 100 voice minutes and are designed specifically for the Doro PhoneEasy, available exclusively to Rogers customers in Canada for $24.99 with a two-year term plan or $99.99 with no-term plan. Additional information can be found online at www.rogers.com/doro.

About Doro

Doro is a Swedish company focusing on the development, marketing and sales of telecom products specially adapted to the growing worldwide population of seniors. With over 35years of experience in telecommunications, and sales in more than 30 countries on 5 continents, Doro is the world's leading brand for easy-to-use mobile phones. Doro created the Care Electronics category and in recent years our products have received several highly distinguished international design awards. The company had sales of SEK 363 million in 2008. Doro's shares are quoted on the OMX Nordic Exchange Stockholm, Nordic list, Small companies. For further information, please visit www.doro.com.

Bata Shoe Museum Receives His Holiness the Dalai Lama's Footwear

TORONTO, October 27, 2010 /Canada NewsWire/ - The Bata Shoe Museum is very excited to announce the recent donation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama's sandals to the Museum. Presented by Mr. Lobsang Nyendak, the well-worn Bata manufactured rubber sandals are currently on view in a special exhibition which also features examples of Tibetan footwear from the Museum's collection. The presentation coincided with His Holiness the Dalai Lama's three day trip to Toronto.

"His Holiness the X1V Dalai Lama of Tibet is happy to donate his long worn Bata slippers to the Bata Shoe Museum." remarked Mr. Nyendak. Museum Director Emanuele Lepri accepted the donation on behalf of Sonja Bata, Founding Chairman of the Bata Shoe Museum. Said Mr. Lepri, "In their simplicity, the slippers of His Holiness the Dalai Lama are a very inspiring gift for our Museum. This prestigious addition to our collection is a wonderful opportunity to engage our visitors, Torontonians and tourists alike, with the values and the messages promoted by one of the most prominent figures of our current global society."

Born Lhamo Dhondup on 6 July 1935 to a farming family at the hamlet of Takster in northeastern Tibet, His Holiness was recognized at the age of two as the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama, Thubten Gyatso. Often describing himself as a "simple Buddhist monk", he communicates his messages of peace, non-violence, inter-religious understanding, universal responsibility and compassion wherever he travels.

The Bata Shoe Museum's Tibetan collection of footwear was partly realized through field trips. Boots have been a traditional aspect of Tibetan dress for centuries and were worn to provide protection and warmth. Tibetan boots typically feature thick, strong soles covered with yak leather and high embroidered felt shafts held in place by colourful woven boot straps. Over the centuries, status often was reflected through footwear and ranged from the rhelzom worn by Lamas, Noblemen and Guru incarnates to the more popular sombha.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama's donated footwear, as well as the special Tibetan exhibition will be on view until December 31, 2010.

About the Bata Shoe Museum

The Bata Shoe Museum is dedicated to uncovering the role of footwear in the social and cultural life of humanity. The Museum's growing international collection of over 13,000 objects touches on 4,500 years of history. A varied programme of events and exhibitions lets visitors discover the stories behind footwear from many lands and cultures. Further information is available at www.batashoemuseum.ca.

Cardiac wakeup call for Canadian kids

Poor sleep patterns and lack of proper sleep could be threatening thousands of Canadian adolescents with premature heart disease and stroke

MONTREAL, October 26, 2010 /Canada NewsWire/ - Poor sleep patterns and lack of proper sleep could be threatening thousands of Canadian adolescents with premature heart disease and stroke, warns Heart and Stroke Foundation researcher Dr. Brian McCrindle, a pediatric cardiologist at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.

"Sleep disorders in kids are on the increase. They are marching hand in hand with other increasing cardiovascular risk factors such as overweight and obesity, lack of physical activity, a poor diet, and high levels of unhealthy cholesterol," Dr. McCrindle today told the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress 2010, co-hosted by the Heart and Stroke Foundation and the Canadian Cardiovascular Society.

"Teens who experience more disordered sleep - in terms of duration, quality, and pattern - have a higher body mass index and a correspondingly higher risk of overweight and obesity," says Dr. McCrindle. "This, in turn, can lead to higher levels of cholesterol, another risk factor."

Over 1,600 students in grade 9 (ages 14 to 16) participated in the Healthy Schools screening program run by Heart Niagara. Overall, 22 per cent of students rated their sleep as fairly or very bad. Fourteen per cent of students reported difficulty staying awake during the day one to two times a week. Five per cent reported problems staying awake during the day more than three times a week.

Significant numbers of children are already taking prescription or over-the-counter medications for sleep disorders, says Dr. McCrindle. Seventeen per cent of the students in this study reported regularly taking sleep medication.

The children who participated in the study used a questionnaire to track their overall sleep quality, frequency of sleep disturbances, and their use of sleep medication. Blood pressure, total blood cholesterol, and waist circumference measurement were also recorded.

Studies relate poor sleeping habits or not getting enough sleep with higher levels of blood pressure and other poor health conditions. And, conversely, physical inactivity and poor eating habits can affect one's sleep.

"It is a perfect example of harmful synergy at work," says Dr. McCrindle. "It's like the chicken and egg conundrum: lack of physical activity and poor food choices negatively affect quality of sleep - and on the other hand, lack of sleep can lead to being too tired to exercise and not taking the time to eat properly."

Heart and Stroke Foundation spokesperson Dr. Beth Abramson says that more than half of kids between the ages of five and 17 aren't active enough to support optimal development.

"Just as we've made it a priority to alert adults to the perils of an unhealthy lifestyle, we must start earlier than ever to ensure that our kids become properly educated from the start."

Dr. Abramson says that a great place to start is at the school level, where our children spend many of their days.

"The healthy choice should be the easy choice in schools," she says. "One of the best ways to ensure kids get their 90 minutes of daily physical activity is a school environment which supports and promotes physical activity."

She says we need to lead by example as adults to help kids have healthy lives outside the classroom as well. "Parents can be good role models. If we work together on achieving healthier lifestyles by eating healthfully and being physically active on a regular basis, hopefully this disturbing trend in poor sleep and risk factors in teens can be reduced."

Dr. Abramson says if teens having serious difficulty with sleep should speak to their doctors to find solutions, which are available. For others she offers these sleeping tips:

...Commit to a sound sleep routine. Not getting enough sleep, or poor quality sleep, can make it very difficult to handle everyday stress.

...Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time everyday - even on weekends.

...Sleep primarily at night. If you nap during the day, keep your naps short. Save your longest sleep for the night.

...Get at least eight hours of sleep every night.

...Avoid upsetting conversations, arguments, or anything that causes you distress before bed.

...Don't eat or drink large amounts before bedtime.

...Avoid nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol in the evening.

...Be physically active - regular activity can help with a more restful sleep, however, for some exercising right before bed may make getting to sleep more difficult.

...Go to bed when you are tired and turn out the lights.

Life changes in the teen years cause stress, speak to a parent or doctor about ways to deal with anxiety.

According to Dr. McCrindle, one of the great healthcare deficiencies in Canada is that, although there is a push to recognize guidelines for management of risk factors in adults, there is nothing for our children.

"The bottom line is that sleep disorders seem to be on the increase among children and it is affecting their heart health," he says. "That is very bad news indeed."

This is the latest data from Heart Niagara Inc., a nonprofit corporation which partnered with school boards and public health officials in a grade 9 physical education curriculum enrichment program designed to prevent chronic disease.

Statements and conclusions of study authors are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect Foundation or CCS policy or position. The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada and the Canadian Cardiovascular Society make no representation or warranty as to their accuracy or reliability.

The Heart and Stroke Foundation (heartandstroke.ca), a volunteer-based health charity, leads in eliminating heart disease and stroke and reducing their impact through the advancement of research and its application, the promotion of healthy living, and advocacy.

Online Party of Canada - Democracy 2.0

TORONTO, October 21, 2010 /Canada NewsWire/ - After a successful launch last week, the Online Party of Canada (OPC - www.onlineparty.ca) affirmed the notion that Internet technology is ready to enter the political arena. With more Canadians embracing the idea of debating and voting online, this 'Tea Party'-like grassroots organization is gaining momentum across the country.

To date, the OPC website has posted controversial issues for debate: members have voted on ending the war in Afghanistan, legalizing prostitution and marijuana, freeing public transit and post-secondary education, eliminating unions from governmental organizations, and reforming the Constitutional Monarchy system. Unlike traditional politicians, OPC representatives are compelled to support the outcome of the vote on every issue; therefore, every vote really counts.

OPC offers the Canadian electorate precisely what many Canadians have been waiting to see in politics for a long time: a built-in accountability mechanism whereby elected officials are held to their promises and actions, ensuring competence and transparency in the political process. OPC offers a viable alternative to the two-party system, and focuses on real issues instead of empty political dialogue. By voting on issues rather than parties, OPC allows for a more refined view of the Canadian electorate. Canadians are not blue or red, as the two-party system suggests. They are liberals when it comes to human rights and conservatives in regards to government spending. Despite this, under the current system the only choice is to vote for one party or the other, and remain indifferent when the elected officials break their promises on individual issues.

Mr. Michael Nicula, the founder of OPC, opines that the political debate will soon enter a new era, focusing on individual issues instead of parties and politicians. For generations voters have chosen a color and voted for the candidate proposed, in many cases having very little information about that person. Every year, Canadians cast their votes, hoping for the best while not taking the promises of elected officials very seriously. Sadly, having a minority government is considered a good thing!

Mr. Nicula believes the Canadians are ready for online debate and voting, and OPC is ready to provide the platform for this change. The Canadian political establishment has managed so far to fend off challenges from smaller progressive political organizations due to the high costs of publicity. Social networking via the internet abolishes these costs and therefore can radically alter the existing political system.

The Heart and Stroke Foundation launches new Calendar Lottery with chances to win cash prizes all year long

TORONTO, October 14, 2010 /Canada NewsWire/ - The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario announced today the launch of a new Calendar Lottery. For a one-time purchase of only $25, entrants will have the chance to win $5,000 every day of the year. A calendar purchase is more than a chance to win. Research has shown that 80 per cent of premature onset of heart disease and stroke is preventable. The calendar purchase is a chance to help millions of Canadian live longer, healthier lives. Other prizes include a weekly $10,000 cash prize, a monthly $100,000 prize, 12 additional bonus Holiday Jackpots of $30,000 and an Early Bird Cash Prize of $250,000. Each lottery number is returned to the drum after each draw so one calendar number can win numerous times throughout the year.

The Heart and Stroke Foundation strives to eliminate heart disease and stroke and reduce their impact through research, the promotion of healthy living and advocacy. One hundred per cent of net proceeds from the Heart &Stroke Calendar Lottery will support life-saving research into heart disease and stroke. Through initiatives like the Calendar Lottery money is raised to help prevent heart disease and stroke, improve existing treatments and develop new ones so that those living with the effects of heart disease and stroke can thrive.

"Through the launch of our new Calendar Lottery, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario is making it more exciting for Canadians to support this important cause and potentially change their own lives," said Marco Di Buono, Director of Research, The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario. "With one in three Canadian deaths attributed to heart disease or stroke, help is needed to fund the research required to save more lives."

The Heart and Stroke Foundation officially launched its Calendar Lottery today with an announcement at Yonge Eglinton Square in midtown Toronto and spoke about the impact that the Calendar Lottery will have on life-saving Foundation research. A flash mob performance of "Calendar Girls" by Neil Sedaka surprised bystanders and created additional excitement for the Calendar Lottery launch.

About the Heart and Stroke Foundation

The Heart and Stroke Foundation, a volunteer-based health charity, leads in eliminating heart disease and stroke and reducing their impact through the advancement of research and its application, the promotion of healthy living and advocacy.

About the Calendar Lottery

The Heart&Stroke Calendar Lottery will officially be on sale from October 12, 2010 until December 20, 2010 at midnight (while supplies last). The Early Bird deadline is December 15th, 2010. The calendars will be available for purchase by mail, fax, and phone (1-888-514-7767). Purchasers must be at least 18 years of age and calendars cannot be purchased in the name of a minor. The Heart&Stroke Calendar Lottery is intended for Ontario residents only. Calendar buyers must be in Ontario at the time of purchase and calendars will only be mailed within Ontario. Calendars make a perfect gift for the holidays! Orders received by December 1, 2010 will be delivered to the primary purchaser by December 24th. For more information visit www.heartandstroke.ca/calendar.

World Sight Day 2010 reveals successes of the last 10 years and challenges for the next 10 years in tackling avoidable blindness

...10 percent decrease in worldwide avoidable blindness and visual impairment achieved in 10 years

...Chronic eye diseases soon to take over infectious eye diseases as primary cause of avoidable blindness

...Impact to be felt in developed as well as developing countries

TORONTO, October 13, 2010 /Canada NewsWire/ - Worldwide, 285.3 million people are visually impaired. In the past 10 years, VISION 2020: The Right to Sight and World Health Organization (WHO) have contributed to a 10 percent reduction in the number of visually impaired people worldwide. This figure is all the more impressive when considered against a growing global population and an 18 percent increase in the world's population aged over 50, the population most vulnerable to visual impairment.

"The number of blind has decreased by 5.2 million (from 45 million in 2004 to 39.8 million in the present day), representing a decline of 13 percent in the last six years," says Pat Ferguson, President & CEO of Operation Eyesight Universal an international NGO based in Canada.

This year marks the midpoint of VISION 2020's commitment to eliminate the main causes of avoidable blindness by 2020. In the past 10 years, thanks to VISION 2020 efforts, all 193 WHO member states are formally committed to investing in eye care, two World Health Assembly resolutions have urged WHO member states to develop and implement VISION 2020 national plans and 91 countries have drafted national eye care plans.

Operation Eyesight Universal is an international development organization dedicated to preventing and treating avoidable blindness in low income countries for almost 50 years - primarily in India and Africa. We help local medical professionals provide comprehensive, sustainable eye care and community development for the people of the world who can least afford it. Since 1963, Operation Eyesight has prevented blindness in more than 35 million people. For more information, visit www.operationeyesight.com.

VISION 2020: The Right to Sight is the global initiative for the elimination of avoidable blindness, a joint programme of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) with an international membership of NGOs, professional associations, eye care institutions and corporations. VISION 2020's mission is to eliminate the main causes of avoidable blindness by the year 2020 by facilitating the planning, development and implementation of sustainable national eye care programmes based on the three core strategies of disease control, human resource development and infrastructure and technology, incorporating the principles of primary health care.

MCAP and Habitat for Humanity Canada give Canadians the Key to Hope - launch innovative giving tool

TORONTO, October 8, 2010 /Canada NewsWire/ - MCAP, a leading Canadian mortgage company, together with Habitat for Humanity Canada, have launched the Key to Hope program where consumers can make an ongoing charitable donation to Habitat for Humanity Canada by adding any amount to a MCAP mortgage.

The first of its kind, this program allows borrowers to add a specified donation amount to each mortgage payment, which MCAP matches and donates to Habitat for Humanity Canada on behalf of its customers. The goal of Key to Hope is to raise one million dollars for Habitat over the next five years.

"MCAP is always looking for new ways to engage our employees and customers in charitable causes," said Ron Swift, President of MCAP. "By facilitating this transaction through their mortgage payments, we are providing our clients with a convenient and effective way to support an organization that helps families experience the benefits of owning a decent and affordable home and all the associated benefits."

"We are thrilled to continue our ten-year partnership with MCAP, together raising more than $1.9 million in charitable donations," said Stewart Hardacre, President and CEO of Habitat for Humanity Canada. "With 1.3 million Canadian families unable to pay for rent and life's other necessities, Key to Hope allows homeowners to share the joy of homeownership with fellow Canadians in need."

MCAP is encouraging mortgage brokers to offer customers the Key to Hope program by introducing a partnership plan where brokers can also make donations, payable through their MCAP commissions. MCAP will then match all broker and consumer contributions.

The benefits of Habitat for Humanity's work stretch beyond safe, decent homes for partner families: communities benefit from the homeowners taking pride in caring for their properties; volunteers feel connected to the projects they contribute to; children have better self-esteem, become better students and enjoy better health when they have a secure place to call home; and families are transformed from defeat to dignity, gaining the stability to dream, plan and prosper. For more information, visit www.keytohope.ca.

About MCAP:

MCAP is a leading independent Canadian mortgage and equipment financing company, which manages over $23 billion in assets. With more than 120,000 home mortgages under administration and offices across Canada, the company originates and services mortgage and leasing assets in four key lines of business: residential mortgages, commercial mortgages, construction loans, and equipment financing.

About Habitat for Humanity Canada:

Founded in 1985, Habitat for Humanity Canada is a national, non-profit organization working for a world where everyone has a safe and decent place to live. With the help of over 50,000 volunteers and 73 organizations from coast to coast, their mission is to break the cycle of poverty through affordable housing and the promotion of homeownership.

Amenity Migrants And The Rebirth Of The North American Small Town

from TreeHugger.com
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto

Randal Macnair, the former mayor of Fernie, British Columbia, used the term "Amenity Migrant" to describe the people moving to the former depressed coal town in the Canadian Rockies. It is a term that, according to Ray Chipeniuk, started with American demographers in the late 1970s and early 80s, an era marked by a back-to-the-land movement in both the US and Canada. He is quoted in Northword:

"It appeared something really quite extraordinary was going on. People were moving in large numbers to parts of the US where every indication was that there should be low employment, largely due to collapses in natural resource industries."

But the Internet and the rise of the independent homeworker has made it even more extraordinary. Fernie demonstrates what happens when you mix mountains, historic buildings and streetscapes, the Internet and the Creative Class: Boom.

Part of Fernie's success is the fact that it has maintained so much of its historic streetscapes and buildings, like this courthouse that the provincial government abandoned and that the municipality restored. (and then leased back to the government.) The main street is picture postcard pretty, full of shops and businesses servicing the tourists and the knowledge workers who have moved into town...read more story and watch video at TreeHugger.com

Psychiatrists Call Upon the Government to Act on Poverty Report

OTTAWA, September 30, 2010 /Canada NewsWire/ - The CPA calls upon the Government to live up to the commitments made less than one year ago today to establish a plan to eliminate poverty in Canada.

Yesterday, the Government of Canada listed its accomplishments in reducing poverty in Canada yet did not directly comment on a single recommendation contained in the report, In from the Margins: A Call to Action on Poverty, Housing and Homelessness. Earlier this year, the Senate of Canada unanimously endorsed this landmark report which contained 74 recommendations to help lift Canadians out of poverty.

November 24, 2009 Parliament voted unanimously to support the Government of Canada in the development of an immediate plan to eliminate poverty in Canada. This motion was brought forward on the eve of the 20th anniversary of the 1989 resolution by The House of Commons to eliminate poverty among Canadian children by the year 2000—a goal that was not achieved.

"You can't effectively build a response to poverty without dealing with the recommendations of the In from the Margins report. People with mental illness often live in chronic poverty. Conversely, poverty can be a significant risk factor for poor physical and mental health. Safe and affordable housing is pivotal to a person's recovery," says Dr. Nizar Ladha, President of the Canadian Psychiatric Association.

The Canadian Psychiatric Association is the national voice for Canada's 4,100 psychiatrists and more than 600 psychiatric residents. Founded in 1951, the CPA is dedicated to promoting an environment that fosters excellence in the provision of clinical care, education and research.