On the one hand, you have this touching video about families

( Isn't it sweet? )

On the other hand, you have the bad news. I won't say what I'm thinking about that. It's not very nice.

But it really is a nifty video :)

Taken from homasse, along with this link.

Now we're on a different, depressing topic.

I am exhorted to do more than just write about this, but I have no idea what to do, or even how effective it might be. So I'm just writing and hoping this gets to the eyes of somebody who *does* know what to do, and has the wherewithal to actually do it.

Essentially, a woman in Ontario is on hunger strike until she gets adequate services - meaning nurses that follow her doctor's orders and who allow her to complain about bad service, not exactly an exorbitant request - and it seems like she may never get those services. As noted in the link, hunger strikes don't work unless the people in power actually care. And they don't seem to... especially if they can successfully spin this as a right to die issue, or "LOL, crazee ppl!" or whatever asinine justifications they can come up with.

Read the link. I won't try to further rephrase Amanda's words because, honestly, I don't think I can do so about this. And then... I don't know. Spread the news, but work on... what was it...

Don’t get bogged down in how sad you feel about what is happening. Don’t — if you can do anything more — just write about this. Don’t treat her death as the only inevitable conclusion in all this. Find a way to pressure the right people until Minna gets her services back, free of abuse/neglect and free of coercion to avoid reporting abuse/neglect.

That. Work on that. If you tell me what to do - whom to call, whom to email, whom to write to? - I'll do it. Believe me, I will. Newspapers, medical staff - fine. But I have very little idea about how to find that starting point (and then I have to work out what to say, another issue in and of itself).

The comments in the link have a few contacts, which I'm writing to now, as soon as I determine what to say.

Sudbury MPP Rick Bartolucci
Constituency Office email: rbartolucci.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org
Ministry of Community Safety & Correctional Services email: rick.bartolucci@ontario.ca

Minister of Health & Long-Term Care David Caplan:
ccu.moh@ontario.ca

Not being Canadian, I have no way of knowing if these are the most effective people, but I'm sure if they're not they can direct me to those who *are*.