Liberal Policy Series #3: Opt-Out Organ Donation: Saving Lives and Saving Money (Western Young Liberals Policy)

As some may recall, I wanted to showcase some of the policies that were put forth in the past year by Ontario Young Liberals clubs and passed as official Ontario Young Liberals polices at the Summer Fling event in North Bay (Aug. 2007). I thought what better way for me to do that then to let the individuals who authored these policies promote them themselves in their own words here on this blog. I will be showcasing 5 policies in this series. The first two were on Enforcing Standards of Practice for Canadian Mining Companies Operating Abroad (a policy I authored which was put forth by the Brant Young Liberals) and Giving Green an Advantage: GST Cut for Environmentally Friendly Products (put forth by the Peterborough Federal Young Liberals). I strongly encourage you to read them if you missed them.

The next policy in this series was definitely the most hotly debated among all those in this series and it remains a controversial one to be sure, but no one can say it's not important to address this issue - the passionate debate simply surrounds how best to do it.

This policy was put forth by the University of Western Ontario Young Liberals club and was written by Janie Fisher. The Western Young Liberals have been consistently one of the most active young Liberal groups in the province so it should be no surprise that they would once again successfully manage to get one of their policies passed as one of the top choices of Ontario Young Liberals. They certainly have every reason to be proud for getting this through and I'm sure they are continuing to work hard to see this issue gets more attention.

So what you see below is the submission I was provided by Janie Fischer on the policy she wrote that was passed this past summer at the OYL Summer Fling in North Bay and about why Canadians and the Liberal Party need to support this policy. Feel free to give your thoughts...

Opt-Out Organ Donation: Saving Lives and Saving Money

Thousands of Canadians are waiting for life-saving organ transplants. Their lives are literally placed on hold while they are forced to bear the debilitating and often deadly effects of their diseases and injuries. As a result, all must endure harsh and inadequate treatments, while living in hospitals for weeks or months at a time, only receiving enough medical intervention so that they can go home for a short while until their conditions again deteriorate. ‘Home’ in many cases is a misleading word, usually meaning only a closer local hospital instead of a larger medical facility located in a city-centre.

The most heart-breaking aspect of this state of affairs is that there is a cure available for all of these people in the form of an organ transplant; unfortunately, this cure isn’t available to them. Last year 147 Canadians died while waiting on the donor list. I personally have seen these people suffer, and I have watched them die waiting.

I wrote “Opt-Out Organ Donation: Saving Lives and Saving Money” in 2006 because I believe that the Liberal Party of Canada has always worked to alleviate human suffering, ensuring that all Canadians have a chance at life despite their personal circumstances. The Liberal Party must not shy away from a controversial debate that would be in the best interests of all Canadians. The Liberal Party must take a stand that it is unacceptable for Canadians to die while waiting for donor organs.

Presently, Canada has one of the lowest organ donation rates among the industrialized nations. Approximately 3700 Canadians are currently waiting for kidney, heart, lung or liver transplants, and thousands more are waiting for tissue replacements such as corneas, heart valves, skin, and bone grafts. With the statistics for successful transplants increasing every year, such as a 98% success rate for kidney transplants in Canada, it is a travesty that Canadians continue to die because too many Canadians are either not educated about the importance of organ donation, or choose not to make a decision out of their lack of interest or concern.

The opt-out, or assumed consent, system of organ donation is already in place in many nations, including Spain, Poland, Austria, and Hungary. The simple switch to an opt-out system has proven extremely successful, with the organ wait lists in these nations either extremely short or non-existent. By adopting this system of organ donation, all Canadians will automatically be organ donors unless they register otherwise with their provincial or territorial health authority. While saving lives, this policy has also been proven to save money, which is currently a major concern for the Canadian healthcare system. As one example, the cost of maintaining a patient on kidney dialysis in Canada averages $50,000 per year, while the cost of a kidney transplant is approximately $20,000, plus $6,000 per year thereafter. This means that the cost to the healthcare system will be $250,000 over five years for a patient waiting for a transplant, and only $50,000 over five years if a donor kidney is available.

This policy would only be put into operation after the Federal Government has implemented an organ donation awareness campaign, targeted at all provincial and territorial health authorities and healthcare providers, that would educate Canadians about the importance of organ donation and the new changes to the organ donor program. No Canadian will be forced to donate their organs, as the name “opt-out” makes clear; the new system will simply be one of assumed consent where all Canadians are assumed to be organ donors until they decide to opt-out of the system. Individual Canadians will still retain personal control over the decision to donate organs, but with this system the Liberal Party will take a clear stand in support of organ donation.

This policy garnered significant debate at OYL’s Summer Fling, and is clearly a contentious issue. However, when this policy is viewed as a life-or-death matter and as a clear means of implementing timely and cost effective medical care, it is clear that this policy is of benefit to all Canadians. While preserving the individual right to choose not to donate organs for any reason, this policy moves not only Canadian healthcare forward, but the Liberal Party and Canada in addition. Through the adoption of this policy, Canada would become an example to other nations of the positive outcomes associated with opt-out organ donation. This would only serve to strengthen Canada’s role as an international leader. After my own experiences, I believe strongly in this policy and its ability to save lives and maintain our Party’s position on working toward alleviating needless suffering of individuals here and abroad.

- Janie Fischer, University of Western Ontario Young Liberals

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Liberal Policy Series #2: Giving Green an Advantage: GST Cut for Environmentally Friendly Products (Peterborough Young Liberals Policy)

Not too long ago, I wrote a post talking about a policy I am very passionate about: Enforcing Standards of Practice for Canadian Mining Companies Operating Abroad. I strongly encourage you to read that if you missed it, because I think it's hugely important for Canada's reputation in the world and for us serving as a prominent example on human rights.

I also mentioned that the particular policy I authored on that issue was passed as official Ontario Young Liberals policy at the Sumer Fling event in North Bay (August, 2007). However, there were 4 other policies that were passed then too and I thought it would be good to let some of the individuals who contributed to those policies to have a chance to tell you about them as well.

So this is the second post in hopefully a series of 5 as I have contacted some of the individuals who contributed to the other policies that were passed and have received some positive responses back so far. Therefore, I hope you will see something up for the other 3 soon. In each case, I will post word for word what I have been provided by the authors of the policy. In that way, you can read about them in their own words.

I think these policies need to get more promotion then they have been getting and at the same time any policy could probably make use of some constructive feedback. So for each policy, feel free to give your thoughts. I think in all cases the ultimate goal is get the Liberal Party (either in Ontario or the federal party or both) to adopt them as official party policy.

So the next policy (#2 of 5) that is being promoted here today is called "GST Cut for Environmentally Friendly Products" and was authored by the Peterborough Federal Liberal Youth Association. Few Liberals have accomplished more in such a short time than this Peterborough club. The President, Jonathan Pinto and the policy chair Kelly Jamieson are huge credits to the Liberal Party. They have been especially productive on the policy front, going so far as to have one of their policies on bilingualism become an Liberal Party of Canada prioritized national party policy in December 2006 at the Montreal Biennial & Leadership convention.

So what you see below is the submission I was provided by policy chair Kelly Jamieson on the policy that was passed this past summer at the OYL Summer Fling in North Bay.

Giving Green an Advantage: GST Cut for Environmentally Friendly Products

The “race to the bottom” is a real concern when it comes to the products Canadians consume. Typically items that yield higher profits for business have cost the environment a great deal of damage both in production and after sale use. Manufactures react to public pressure as exemplified by the crackdown on CFC’s, but, Canadians should want the businesses we buy from to be proactive. Liberals understand that there is wealth we can make through going green in our daily lives: a cleaner environment for all and a marketable advantage for business. We need to start a “race to the top” amongst the producers we buy from.

The Conservative Party’s recent ecoAuto program has proved to be more politics than action on the environment. New car owners get a rebate to replenish money they have already paid to the dealer; we are indirectly compensating producers instead of the consumers. This program has, however, demonstrated that manufactures will make more environmentally friendly products if they believe they can make a profit. The ecoAuto approved list has been expanding every year and now the hugely popular Honda Civic will be eligible in 2008. Removing taxpayer subsidization from the equations is the key to making this kind of producer response sustainable.

A consumer will use thousands of pounds of products throughout his or her life. The manufacture, use and disposal of everyday items has a profound effect on the environment. If a producer were to make a product that is top of its class in environmental friendliness in manufacturing in Canada or abroad, ensure a neutral effect when in use and an assurance of green biodegradation, then the Canadian Government should drop GST against this item and award it with a seal of approval. This measure will reduce the point of sale cost to consumers and gives the manufacturer a more marketable product. No tax funded rebate necessary; this will be a real market transaction.

Products that are more marketable as a result of being ecofriendly leaders create a race to the top. The government will control what products are GST exempt and make sure that the bar is raised higher so that business will continue to do the right thing as technology and cost improvements make a better product. This investment on the part of business can result in higher sales volume and a betterment of their brand with the backing of the Canadian Government. Consumers will have the opportunity to save money buying green. The savings will be tangible for family shoppers; this exemption being applied to a weeks worth of groceries or even a single box of diapers. It will add up quickly.

After the Conservative GST cut for no apparent reason, we can appreciate cutting more for a good reason: going green in our daily lives. Being green has to become part of Canadians’ daily lives, and that is why I am pleased that the Ontario Young Liberals have adopted this policy.

- Kelly Jamieson, Policy Chair, Peterborough Federal Liberal Youth Association

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An Issue for 2008: Enforcing Standards of Practice for Canadian Mining Companies Operating Abroad (Liberal Policy Series #1)

This is something that I've wanted to post about for awhile, but I believe with the new year, it's about time something finally get done on this issue.

I have been a supporter for some time of the idea that much more must be done to ensure “Canadian” mining companies (many solely claim Canadian status for the tax incentives) uphold the same environmental and human rights standards that they would if they were mining in Canada.

Specifically, I authored a policy on this issue that my Brant Young Liberals put forth that calls for the Government of Canada to implement the March 29, 2007 recommendations of the "National Roundtables on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and the Canadian Extractive Industry in Developing Countries." The recommendations were derived from a series of national roundtables involving the public and governmental and non-governmental experts that were originally commissioned by the former Liberal government in the fall of 2005. The full report can be found here. For shorter summaries of the recommendations and how they came about, please see: here and/or here.

In short, Canada could become a world leader on Corporate Social Responsibility if the federal government and other stakeholders acted on these recommendations. The Brant resolution also noted that if the Government of Canada refused to implement the recommendations, then the Liberal Party of Canada should make it official party policy that they will try to implement them should they form the government in the near future.

This policy is extremely important as it relates not only to upholding basic human rights and environmental standards, but also to protecting and enhancing Canada's international reputation. When these mining companies, (which, at often times are only Canadian for the tax incentives that Canada offers to companies), are responsible for major human rights and/or environmental abuse abroad (of which there are countless examples), it reflects poorly on our country and can even breed resentment in some of these countries of Canadians in general. The recommendations of the March 29 2007 report merely ask that Canadian mining companies adhere to similar practices abroad as they do here at home and a series of incentives and punishments are advocated to ensure compliance. This is an instance where Canada can once again take the lead on an important issue and be a role model to the rest of the world, much as it has been with countless other efforts, such as the Responsibility to Protect doctrine, for example.

This resolution was passed at the OYL Summer Fling as one of the top 3 policies favoured by young liberals and it is my hope that it will be lobbied successfully to the senior party. So far there is much work to be done in that regard; however, this is really is an issue the Liberal Party of Canada should take a clear stance on. The NDP has also taken some interest in this issue and I applaud them for that and I would actually be quite happy if the two parties worked together to get something done on this issue.

That said, I welcome any and all feedback or advice you could provide to improve upon the resolution that was passed to ensure what goes forward from this point on is as sound as possible.

This issue affects a huge number of people in the 3rd world and we can no longer turn a blind eyet to it. The time has come to help ensure Canadian companies don't tarnish our good name and operate responsibly overseas.

UPDATE: I noticed the link to the full report was broken. It's been fixed.

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