© News the other press e KellyParry e kelly-parry@telus.net Bill C-9 Betrayal or Benefit —What Would Bono Think? Lynn Paus OP Contributor Canada has gained a reputation as a world leader in supporting the needs of developing countries by committing hundreds of millions of dollars in aid, investment, and development to Third World coun- tries in an effort to fight the spread of HIV/AIDS, TB, and Malaria. Canada’s commitment and track record on behalf of the third-world has drawn the respect and the inter- est of other countries and individu- als dedicated to helping the people living in developing countries. Even Irish rock star Bono praised Canada for being an example to other coun- tries in how to make a difference through foreign aid. So, what would Bono think of Canada now that conflict has raised its ugly head over Bill C-9? Bill C-9 proposes changes to Canadian drug and patent laws, making it easier for developing countries to obtain less-expensive versions of patented pharmaceutical products needed to treat HIV/AIDS, TB, and malaria. “Show Us Your Canada” Toyota Photo Contest Lisa Terepocki OP Contributor Amateur shutterbugs were makes Canada great,” said Ken These diseases and other public health problems cause immense suffering and jeopardize economic development in many Third World countries. Canada’s Research-Based Pharma- ceutical Companies (Rx&D) who are supporting Bill C-9 (which includes amendments to the Patent Act and the Food and Drugs Act) are at odds with the Médecins Sans Frontiéres/Doctors Without Borders Canada (MSF) and the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network who claim that Bill C-9 is a betrayal of patients in developing countries. Rx&D, the national association of pharmaceutical companies, repre- sents more than 23,000 Canadians who work for some 55-member companies. These member compa- nies share a single primary objective: to discover new medicines. Rx&D is supporting the amendments out- lined in Bill C-9, believing the legislation will allow for safe, legal, and efficient distribution of happy to hear that last month, Toyota Canada Inc. invited all Canadians to participate in a “Show Us Your Canada” photo competition. At a presentation of Canada’s plans for the 2005 World Exposition, Toyota Canada’s President Ken Tomikawa announced the contest. The contest will highlight Canada’s diversity on both nat- ural and cultural levels, and will be a chance for all Canadians to partake in Expo 2005, which will take place in Aichi, Japan. The 13 winning photos— one from each province and territory—will be displayed in the Canadian Pavilion, and each winner will receive an all- expenses-paid trip for two to Expo 2005. The chosen photos will also be printed in a com- memorative book presented by the Canadian Government to dignitaries visiting Canada’s pavilion and embassy. Any winners who are Toyota owners will also receive an additional prize. “This photography competi- tion is a wonderful way to cel- ebrate the vision individual Canadians have of the natural and cultural diversity that eae Page 4 _hittp://www-otherpress.ca Tomikawa. “As a corporate cit- izen, Toyota is proud to sup- port Canada’s involvement in the World Exposition, which promotes a global community spirit while affirming the unique value of individuals, groups and nations.” The goal of next year’s Exposition is to link cultures around the theme of Nature's Wisdom. From that core theme, Canada’s participation will concentrate on _ the Wisdom of Diversity, celebrat- ing the country as one that respects, protects and promotes environmental and cultural variety. Expo 2005 will be an excellent way to showcase Canada’s attributes to an esti- mated 15 million visitors between March 25 and September 25, 2005. “Show Us Your Canada” photo submissions will be accepted from March 1 to August 31, 2004. In the first round of judging, 500 photos will be selected. A second panel of judges will then determine the 13 winning images. Winners will be announced on October 8. For more informa- tion on submitting photos, visit: . affordable medicines. They hope the bill will protect the pharmaceutical companies’ intellectual property by ensuring that patentees receive fair notice of a generic manufacturer's intention to supply, as well as the opportunity to negotiate a voluntary licence before a compul- sory licence is issued to the generic manufacturer. Speaking on behalf of Rx&D, Jean Frangoise Leprince, President of Aventis Pharma Inc., said, “Since the beginning of this legislative process, we have all shared a com- mon objective—to provide safe, affordable medicines to countries and people in need and to do so as quickly as possible. In this context, we call on all parties involved to leave politics aside and stand united to help those who are desperately looking to us for assistance.” Doctors Without Borders and the HIV/AIDS Legal Network were quick to point out that Bill C-9 has the potential to alleviate great suffer- ing and save many lives, however, they also claim that this objective will be undermined unless flaws cur- rently found in the Bill are fixed. They fear that Bill C-9 will result in: ¢ Guerrilla takeovers where brand- name companies scoop contracts which generic drug makers have negotiated, thereby blocking generic producers from getting licences to supply cheaper medicines. ¢ A limited list of pharmaceutical products—for example, many for the AIDS drugs currently used in Canada are not even on the list, nor are many other drugs frequently needed in developing countries. ¢ The exclusion of non-WTO coun- tries that also face public health problems, high poverty rates, and little access to medicines. * Failure to allow generic companies to contract directly with non-gov- ernmental organizations that are critical providers of health care in many developing countries. Speaking on behalf of Doctors March 17, 2004 Without Borders, Rachel Kiddell- Monroe said, “This legislation is a betrayal of people living in develop- ing countries. Experience shows that the only way to get cheaper medicines is to ensure competition between pharmaceutical companies and generic drug producers. The Canadian law destroys any chance of competition. And with it, the hopes of people desperately in need of life saving treatment.” Enabling access to essential medi- cines for those in need must be part of the overall goal of advancing global health and human rights. Canada’s reputation as a world- leader in their support of this goal is currently hanging in the balance as the struggle over Bill C-9 delays the passing of this legislation. Unfortunately, while the pharma- ceutical companies, the politicians, and the activists step up to duke- it-out over Bill C-9, the world’s poorest countries will just have to wait. TAX TIP— Fun for the kids means funds for Did you know... OTTAWA, March 9 /CNW/—IF you enroll your child in daycare, summer camp, boarding school, or a sports school, you may be able to claim your expenses for these activi- ties on your income tax return. To qualify, you must have incurred the expenses in order to work or attend school. When there are two parents, the parent with the lower net income usually has to make the claim. If your child is under the age of seven and you qualify, you may be able to claim up to $7,000 a year. For each child over the age of seven but under the age of sixteen, you may be able to claim up to $4,000. There is no age limit for a disabled child and you may be able to claim up to $10,000. Visit the website for more infor- mation: and select “C” from the drop down menu for child care expense.