OPINION
editionap.ca
Time to seriously investigate election fraud case To the editor:
Latest Conservative resistance to the possible byelections is a survey entered as evidence by Ekos, a reputable company the Conservatives have even hired on several occasions. Ekos found about three times as many Liberal, New Democrat and Green support- ers as Conservative supporters claimed they were directed to changed polling sta- tions in the last two or three days of the campaigns. It has been 16 months since the Conser- vative political operative Pierre Poutine is said to have triggered the election fraud.
He was supposedly traced to a private house but nothing more has been revealed. The only recent development has been the resignation of Commissioner of Canada Elections William Corbett, in the middle of the election probe. He was only the leading investigator on the case. He has been replaced by Yves Cote. An associate minister of justice formerly ap- pointed by Stephen Harper...
Ekos found about three times as many Liberal, New Democrat and Green sup- porters as Conservative sup- porters claimed they were directed to changed polling stations in the last two or three days of the campaigns.
On Sept. 20 Elections Canada, as part of Canada Democracy Week for young Cana- dians, offered a live Q and A session. One of the questions will be “How can Canada improve its elections?” How about improving elections by seri- ously investigating the election fraud in the last federal election? A court plea is being weighed to overturn election results in seven ridings across Can- ada which saw Conservative MPs win close questionable victories.
Ken Smith Cornwall
Bringing mental illness ‘out of the shadows’
and people in the community. The recogni- tion helps reduce the stigma of mental ill- ness while at the same time raising aware- ness of the issue, D’Alessio said. Mental illness knows no boundaries -- it can affect all people, regardless of age, culture, income and education, accord- ing to the CMHA, which blames a number of myths about mental illness for prevent- ing many people from seeking and getting help when they need it. Some of the common myths -and truths about mental illness: People with mental illness are violent and dangerous. The truth is that, as a group, mentally ill people are no more violent than any other group. In fact, they are far more likely to be the victims of violence than to be violent themselves. People with mental illness are poor and/ intelligence. Mental illness, like physical illness, can affect anyone regardless of intel- ligence, social class or income level. Mental illness is caused by a personal weakness. A mental illness is not a charac- ter flaw. It is an illness, and it has nothing to do with being weak or lacking will-power. Although people with mental illness can play a big part in their own recovery, they did not choose to become ill, and they are not lazy because they cannot just “snap out of it.” Mental illness is a single, rare disorder. Mental illness is not a single disease but a broad classification for many disorders. Anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, person- ality disorders, eating disorders and organic brain disorders can cause misery, tears and missed opportunities for thousands of Ca- nadians. or less intelligent. Many studies show that most mentally ill people have average or above-average
GREG KIELEC greg.kielec@eap.on.ca
It is becoming almost cliché to Angele D’Alessio. But it is a phrase which has pow- erful meaning for people dealing with mental illness. Bringing mental illness “out of the shad- ows” – that is one of the goals of an aware- ness walk for mental illness organized by the Canadian Mental Health Association- Champlain East. The walk begins at 11 a.m. on Oct. 3 the Starbright Centre at 343 Pitt Street behind the Lahaie and Sullivan Funeral Home, across from city hall, and lasts about 30 minutes. The aim is to bring mental illness for the The walk is one of the association’s key events during Mental Illness Awareness Week, which runs from Sept. 30 to Oct. 6. The theme for the awareness week is “Face Mental Illness”. One of the highlights of the event will be the presentation of the Hope and Resilien- cy Award, which will be presented before a post-walk luncheon at the Starbright Cen- tre. The award is given to someone who has significant enough progress dealing with mental illness that they are deemed a role model to others. “And that’s great,” smiled D’Alessio. “Ev- eryone always cries and everyone is always happy.” The recipient is determined based on nominations from case managers, peers forefront: “that it’s real, it can happen to anyone and that help is here,” said D’Alessio, mental health promoter with CMHA in Cornwall.
Photo Greg Kielec
Participants lace up their shoes inpreparation for Oct. 3’swalk to raise awareness of mental illness. Front, from left, are Louise Clements, Lise Major, Art Abbey, Kathleen Cummings and Gerald Rouleau. Back froam left are CMHA repreenta- tives Debbie Dewey, senior lead volunteer; Angele D’Alessio, mental health pro- moter; and Corey Schwantz, peer resource facilitator.
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The aim is to bring mental illness to the forefront.
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