Editorial

Worth fighting for

Democracy and accountability an uphill battle

"The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.” - Henry David Thoreau

So it would seem in the local perspective this week.

Parallel the following scenarios: the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) has launched a strike, despite the Ontario Colleges offering the union a deal that would make Ontario college faculty the best paid in the country. Within the colleges’ proposal, maximum salaries would reach $94,277 by April 2009.

As of Tuesday, March 07, 2006, the Human Resources Department of Canada’s Job Bank had no jobs posted for the Quinte area that came even within $30,000 of the proposed $94,277. There were, however, several food service jobs posted with “Wage to be negotiated”. College graduates are scrambling for stable employment.

As the indefinite negotiations continue between OPSEU and their employers, life elsewhere goes on.

Two parents in Trent Hills are determinedly seeking medical help for their almost two year old son. Isaac has a rare metabolic disorder that, without treatment, will severely compromise his quality of living and his lifespan. Although treatment could be made available, funding appears to be nonexistent. Isaac’s parents are exhausting every last possible avenue in their effort to save their son from further harm, but they are finding a great many closed doors on their journey. On Tuesday of this week they heard from Biomarin, the American pharmaceutical company that has the patent on the drug their child needs. Biomarin rejected the request for the company to temporarily subsidize Isaac’s treatment until permanent funding is secured. Where Isaac’s parents will turn next is yet to be seen. Obviously, these parents’ tireless effort to help their child is worthy of deepest commendation.

When it comes to Thoreau’s “quiet desperation”, what can be done? For starters, when we apply for jobs that are advertised with the elusive phrase “Wage to be negotiated”, we can show up ready to negotiate. Why should we accept the poverty level while the people who taught us in college turn up their noses at being the highest paid of their kind in all of Canada? In the case of Isaac, and other Canadians like him, we must pay attention to our democracy and demand accountability of our elected officials. Let’s see if the government decides to help this tiny citizen. Taking a stand does not necessarily mean joining an activist group and going to extremes. Although we just finished an election, there is never an inappropriate time to consider the importance of voting. Let’s pay attention to what the government does and does not do. And let’s remember when it counts.

Published in The Independent Mar 8, 2006