At least one local grandmother, as well as grandmothers across the country, was outraged and disappointed recently when a bill designed to send life-saving generic drugs to developing countries was defeated in the House of Commons.
"It was a tragedy, not just for the people of the developing world but also for the people of Canada," said Ruth Worthington, a South Delta woman who has spent years working to help bring AIDS drugs to sub-Saharan Africa.
On Nov. 28, Bill C-398 was defeated in Ottawa after years of intensive advocacy by South Fraser Gogos and 240 Gogo groups across Canada, as well as the Gran Advocacy Network, a separate group.
The bill was on its second go-round in Ottawa. A similar piece of legislation, Bill C-393, was stopped in its tracks, along with several other pieces of parliamentary business, after last year's election call.
The private member's bill began with a 32,000signature petition asking that Canada's Access to Medicines Regime made into law in 2004 be amended to make it easier for generic drug companies to manufacture and export anti-retroviral medicines to HIV and AIDS patients in sub-Saharan Africa. It would have allowed developing countries to purchase generic drugs produced in Canada at an affordable price to fight not only AIDS but tuberculosis and malaria as well.
The petition was presented in March 2009 in the House of Commons by MPs from all four parties.
Local grandmothers collected more than 1,000 signatures for the petition from right here in South Delta.
Worthington said she is disappointed because of the misinformation quoted by many MPs that voted against the bill. She said many claimed the bill would violate the country's trade obligations, something that has been refuted by international trade experts.
MPs opposing the bill also claimed it would hurt the country's big pharmaceutical companies, but, Worthington said, many major drug companies announced they would not object to the bill, subject to some minor caveats.
She said some MPs questioned the quality of the medicine that would be shipped overseas.
Worthington argues that under the Food and Drug Act, Health Canada must review any drugs being exported.
"When all else failed, the Tories flexed their majority and defeated the bill," she said, adding that seven Conservative MPs did vote in favour of the legislation.
While the battle has been lost, Worthington said she and the Gran Advocacy Network are not going to give up. She said the organization will take some time to regroup before starting again.
"As long as the grandmothers in sub-Saharan Africa face incredible obstacles to raising the vulnerable children of the continent, we will be there to advocate for legislation that will help."
