LETTER

Are we the 1%?

 

What makes you angry?  In Canada, we complain about the weather, we complain about how little sick time we are given, and of course taxes.

As for me, what makes me angry is entitlement. We all know about the 1%ers, but would you be surprised you are the 10%er? Most of Canadians fall here. The rest, the working poor, are in the 30%. The other 60% are not here; they are the world's poor.

Of the world’s poor, women are especially at risk. If they are undernourished, they are more likely to have complications in childbirth and their children are more likely to be born underweight and are more vulnerable to disease. Roughly half of all pregnant women in developing countries are anemic, many due to micronutrient deficiency—which leads to approximately 110,000 preventable deaths during childbirth every year.

By improving nutrition and increasing exclusive breastfeeding rates during the critical 1,000-day window from a woman’s pregnancy to her child’s second birthday, we can save lives, help millions of children to thrive, and deliver a more prosperous future to the world’s most vulnerable. Research confirms that, in the hands of women, an increase in family income improves children’s health and nutrition.

Here is a way to make a statement.  From May 16-19, MPs Marie-Claude Bibeau and Michelle Rempel will be traveling to the 4th annual Women Deliver Conference to help tackle this problem head-on. Let's not just be at the table, but lead. Ask your MP to support global health and prosperity for all.

Bob Smith
Hampton, Ontario