Agenda Jan 24, 2012

January 24, 2012 1pm to 3 pm

1.    Announcements, addition of emergent items (round table)

2.  Emergent items:

a.    Update on guest speakers (John)

b.    SAGE Awards (see poster – note Jan. 31 deadline)

c.     

3.    Committee and Watching Brief Reports: a. Environment, other issues (Cecily);       b. Water issues (Nina, George, Isobel); c. CARP (Robin); d. Finances (Nina); e. Long term care, (Carol); f. Website (Faith); g. College of Physicians & Surgeons (CPSA) (Verna, Bob), h. FOM ( Robin); i. Telephone tree (Edda); j. Friday Group (Kevan); k. Communication, speakers group, (Noel);l. PIA (Brian); m. City Hall (Ray)

4.     Future Events:

a.    Feb 24/25: PIA conference on seniors’ issues, Chateau Lacombe.

b.    (see additional information on p.2)

5.    Agenda items for next meeting:

a.     Guest speaker: Jim Wachowich (utilities and deregulation)

b.     

6.    Review of responsibilities from current meeting:

a.     

b.     

c.     

7.    Next meeting: Tuesday, February 14, 2012, 1:00 pm

8.    Adjournment

FOLLOW-UP FROM JANUARY 14 MEETING

Recommended reading/viewing

·         “Dignity Denied” – report published by NUPGE (Nat Union of Public & General Employees) on the state of long-term care

·         Darcy Henton’s series on deregulation in Calgary Herald (search for “Darcy Henton” on Herald website).

·         “Alberta Land Use Framework” (via AB. Gov. Website?)

Future events

·         SUN showings of “The Healthcare Movie”:

o   Jan 17, 1:30 pm; Bethel Lutheran Church, 298 Bethel Drive, Sherwood Park

o   Jan 21, 1:00 pm; Augustana Lutheran Church, 9912 – 107 Street

o   Jan. 24, 10:00 am; Millwods Recreation Centre, 7207 – 28 Avenue

o   Feb. 24, 10:00 am; St. Albert Retired Teachers’ Assn., 24 Boudreau Road, St. Albert

o   (tentative) Feb. 24, 1:00 pm; Calder Seniors’ Drop-in Centre, 12963 – 120 Street

·         Feb. 1, SUN leadership development workshop.  Anyone interested, contact John MacDonald (djmacdonald@shaw.ca )

·         Feb. 25/25, PIA/AFL conference, “Beyond Acute Care”; Crowne Plaza Chateau Lacombe; registration fee $50 (seniors); forms from http://beyondacutecare.ca/ ; keynote speakers Ralph Nader (opening) & Maude Barlow (closing).

·         March 15, 9:30 – 11:00 am; Open House/tour, Edmonton Waste Management Centre (see City website); (Minerva Studies, Grant McEwan) bus leaves Robbins Health Learning Centre 8:45 am, cost $31.50

Responsibilities

·         Robin Hunter is now SALT’S representative on the FOM board.

·         Finalize draft letter to Premier & send (John, done, see attachment)

·         Send .pdf of latest health care pamphlet to Kevan (Noel)

·         Distribute copies of Noel’s pamphlet to likely places (thanks to all volunteers)

·         Send formal endorsement/thanks to PIA for conference (Brian? Noel? John?)

·         Check with SAGE exactly what our financial arrangement is (re meeting room) (Nina)

·         Invite Jim Wachowich as guest speaker (Utilities regulation/deregulation) (John)

·         Noel’s pamphlet (.pdf format) to be put on SALT website (Faith)

·         Link to College of Physicians & Surgeions (http://www.cpsa.ab.ca/Homepage.aspx ) should also go onto our website (Faith)

(from Cecily):

Study: US Deaths Tied to Fukushima Disaster Fallout   December 20, 2011

Impact seen as roughly comparable to radiation-related deaths after Chernobyl; infants are hardest hit, with continuing research showing even higher possible death count. An estimated 14,000 excess deaths in the United States are linked to the radioactive fallout from the disaster at the Fukushima nuclear reactors in Japan, according to a major new article in the December 2011 edition of the International Journal of Health Services. This is the first peer-reviewed study published in a medical journal documenting the health hazards of Fukushima. http://tinyurl.com/7h92r37

(from the Wikipedia entry on Chernobyl):

Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus have been burdened with the continuing and substantial decontamination and health care costs of the Chernobyl accident. A report of the International Atomic Energy Agency,^[7] examines the environmental consequences of the accident. Estimates of the number of deaths potentially resulting from the accident vary enormously: Thirty one deaths are directly attributed to the accident, all among the reactor staff and emergency workers.^[10] A UNSCEAR report places the total confirmed deaths from radiation at 64 as of 2008. The World Health Organization (WHO) suggests it could reach 4,000 civilian deaths, a figure which does not include military clean-up worker casualties.^[11] A 2006 report predicted 30,000 to 60,000 cancer deaths as a result of Chernobyl fallout.^[12] A Greenpeace report puts this figure at 200,000 or more.^[13] A Russian publication, Chernobyl, concludes that 985,000 premature cancer deaths occurred worldwide between 1986 and 2004 as a result of radioactive contamination from Chernobyl;^[14] however this estimate has been criticized as exaggerated, lacking a proper scientific base.^[15]

(and on Hiroshima/Nagasaki):

Within the first two to four months of the bombings, the acute effects killed 90,000–166,000 people in Hiroshima and 60,000–80,000 in Nagasaki, with roughly half of the deaths in each city occurring on the first day. The Hiroshima prefecture health department estimated that, of the people who died on the day of the explosion, 60% died from flash or flame burns, 30% from falling debris and 10% from other causes. During the following months, large numbers died from the effect of burns, radiation sickness, and other injuries, compounded by illness. In a U.S. estimate of the total immediate and short term cause of death, 15–20% died from radiation sickness, 20–30% from burns, and 50–60% from other injuries, compounded by illness. In both cities, most of the dead were civilians, although Hiroshima had a sizeable garrison.