Minutes of the Monthly Meeting held on October 16, 2017, at Council Chambers City Hall.

Present:

Agenda

1. Welcome Remarks by the chair.
   
2. Minutes of the previous meeting
   
3. Report of the President/Discussions
   
4. Presentation by Robin Devine
   
5. Presentation by Hasan Syed
   
6. Presentation by Frances Del Sol Trade and Investment Commissioner of Dominica
   
7. Presentation by Lawyer Kimberly Whaley and Lionel Tupman on predatory marriage
   
8. Presentation by Hon. Eric Hoskins- Ontario Minister of Health and Long Term Care.

9. New Members/New Business
   
10. Adjournment

Welcome Remarks by the Chair:

Dr. Tajdolati chaired the meeting and declared the meeting open. Rosemarie Sadlier moved a motion to approve the agenda. Jonathan Annobil seconded it. The motion was carried. .

Minutes of the previous meeting:

Ahmedshah Hotaki moved a motion to approve the minutes of the previous monthly meeting Eugenia B seconded it.  The motion was carried.

President’s Report/Discussions:

Presentation by Robin Devine

Robin Devine – President of watch making company Time is Ticking made a presentation on The Canada 150th Anniversary Watch Supporting Wounded Warriors Canada. The Canada 150 watch with a striking Maple Leaf is brought to Canadians as way of wearing Canada’s Heritage. The proceeds from the watch are directed towards “Wounded Warriors Canada” in a tangible way to Honour the fallen and help the living.

Presentation by Hasan Syed:  Access 2 Clean Water:

In his short presentation he stressed the significance of lack of clean water in the First Nations Communities in Canada. He wants to raise awareness of this issue facing the First Nations Communities in a developed economy like Canada. He plans to run from Vancouver to Ottawa to raise awareness on this important issue.
The chair thanked Hasan for his presentation and encouraged members to run his story in their respective publications.

Presentation by Frances Del Sol Trade and Investment Commissioner of Dominica

The chair welcomed the speakers to make her presentation.
Frances Del Sol informed the members about the ravaging effects Hurricane Maria has brought to Dominica and how its citizens are coping with the situation. She wants members of the ethnic media to raise awareness so that timely help could be provided to the most vulnerable in Dominica. She informed that supplies are being collected for the most vulnerable infants and seniors and any help would be highly welcomed.
Jim Karygianis, Margaret B, Rosemary Sadlier and others participated in the discussions after her presentation.

Presentation by Lawyer Kimberly Whaley and Lionel Tupman on predatory marriage

The Chair Dr.Tajdolati welcomed the speaker to make her presentation.
Ontario’s outdated estate and marriage capacity laws make widowed seniors an easy target for “predatory marriage,” legal experts and seniors’ advocates say.
Family inheritances are destroyed when a vulnerable senior is tricked into late-life marriage, said Toronto estate lawyer Kimberly Whaley, who has written extensively on the financial abuse.
A predatory bride or groom uses marital status to take money from joint bank accounts, get ownership of the family home and inherit significant sums from the dead spouse’s estate.
It’s easily accomplished because in Ontario’s Succession Law Reform Act, marriage nullifies an existing will. She narrated various examples where such occurrences took place and encouraged ethnic media to raise awareness so that the vulnerable citizens could be better informed.

Presentation by Hon. Eric Hoskins, Ontario Minister of Health and Long Term Care.

He thanked President Thomas Saras for giving a chance to speak with the members.
Starting January 1 2018 4 million Ontario children and youth under 25 can go to any pharmacy and get 4500 types of medication absolutely free.
He said “We have former Saskatchewan Premier Tommy Douglas to thank for that. In 1962, he took a step that would forever change the course of Canadian history. His government unveiled a comprehensive health insurance plan for Saskatchewan, so that no one would need to worry about whether they could afford to see a doctor. Within a few years, the federal government under Lester Pearson followed suit and Medicare was born, ensuring that every Canadian would have access to health care, regardless of their ability to pay”.
But that work remains unfinished. Since the 1960s, experts, health care providers, leaders and citizens have all joined the chorus of voices calling out for what was always meant to be the next logical step of Medicare: universal coverage for prescription drugs. I've been passionate about the need for pharmacare since I first entered medical school 30 years ago. Working as a physician, I've seen parents who clearly don't have the means to fill the prescription they need to treat their child's chest infection, or asthma, or chronic illness. Study after study has reaffirmed the need for action, indicating that at least one in 10 Canadians can't afford to fill their prescriptions. So since 2014, when I became Ontario's health minister, I have fought to put pharmacare on the national agenda. Starting January 1, 2018, Ontarians age 24 and under will be able to get prescribed medications for free. Over four million children and youth will have comprehensive access to more than 4,400 drugs -- our entire provincial drug formulary -- including those for treating cancer, rare diseases, epilepsy and mental illnesses. All that's needed is a prescription and a health card number.
As Canadians, we pride ourselves on our Medicare system. It embodies our shared belief that everyone should have access to health care, no matter what their circumstances. And pharmacare is one of the most important steps we can take to rededicate ourselves to that principle.I remain optimistic that one day we will achieve our goal of a national pharmacare program for all Canadians. But until that day, I'm proud that our government -- as Tommy Douglas did so many years ago -- is blazing a new path with OHIP+: Children and Youth Pharmacare, the most significant expansion of Medicare in Canada since its creation 50 years ago”.

Jonathan Annobil, Ricky Castellvi, Isa Melo, Michael, Margaret, Raffi Boghossian, and other members asked questions on a wide variety of topics related to how the program could be funded, implemented and successfully run by the government as well as other questions related to health and long term care. Dr. Hoskins candidly answered all questions to the satisfaction of all.

New Members/ New Business: Being none the chair decided to bring the question of adjournment.

Adjournment: Ahmed Shah Hotaki moved a motion to adjourn the meeting and Khalid Isa Melo seconded it. The motion was carried. The Chair, Dr Tajdolati adjourned the meeting at 9 pm. The next monthly meeting would take place on Monday, November 13, at 6:00 pm, 2017 at the Aga Khan Museum.