Ticking Lyme Bomb in Canada. YOU are at RISK. Sign now!
Ticking Lyme Bomb in Canada. YOU are at RISK. Sign now!
Why this petition matters
*Updated: January 9, 2020
LymeHope is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to education and outreach on the subject of Lyme and related diseases in Canada. www.lymehope.ca We have a particular focus on the impact of families including as a result of babies infected in utero.
Lyme disease is one of the fastest spreading infectious diseases in the world.
According to a 2017 national Canadian benchmark survey, 4 MILLION Canadians report that they, or someone they know in Canada, has been diagnosed with Lyme disease. Yet people are still being told "no Lyme here" and being denied proper assessment of symptoms, diagnosis and adequate treatment. This is unacceptable.
Please sign this petition asking the Canadian Government to reject the current Action Plan (Framework) for Lyme disease and FIX IT. The Framework must recognize the seriousness of this disease for all of us. Time is ticking. Canada’s current Plan is GROSSLY inadequate. You could be the next BITE.
Lyme Disease is carried by ticks, which are migrating all across Canada at an alarming speed. Canadian scientists predict that by the year 2020, 80% of the population in Eastern Canada (including Manitoba) will be living in a tick-populated area. [1] Ticks are rapidly spreading in the West as well.
The Lyme bacteria can also be passed from pregnant mother to her child in the womb [2] and there are concerns this infection may be sexually transmitted.[3] Babesia, a Lyme Co-Infection, has been found to be in the U.S. blood supply.[4]
According to the Centre for Disease Control (CDC), there are more than 300,000 NEW cases of Lyme in the US every year most of which occur within 400 miles of the Canadian border. The numbers in Canada are also growing FAST.[1]
In 2014 Bill 442 was passed, requiring the Canadian Government to create a Lyme Action Plan (Framework). The final Framework was released in May, 2017. This Framework fails to take real action, has minimal funding, and fails to protect Canadians from Lyme. We need you to sign this petition to demand this Framework be rejected in its current form.
All Canadians are at risk. All it takes is a walk in the grass, a hike on a trail, a day of gardening or golf and for our kids - playing outside in the schoolyard or in a park. Your pets can bring ticks into your house. Who would think that a tick the size of a poppy seed you may never notice, has the impact of a bomb going off in your body and your life?
In this video, you will meet Nicole Bottles, a 24 year old from Victoria B.C., who explains her 9-year battle with Lyme disease from her wheelchair. She was just 15 years old in Grade 10, when her life as she knew it changed forever.
Nicole highlights the problem we are all going to face. A tick explosion is underway. Canada is currently NOT equipped to prevent, educate, diagnose or treat people who get infected. Nicole saw countless specialists and endured endless testing including the flawed Canadian test for Lyme. She was forced to leave the country to receive proper diagnosis, testing and treatment.
Canadian families are currently paying out of pocket for treatment. Lyme patients report spending tens of thousands of dollars on necessary care, placing families in financial jeopardy. Nicole’s family and friends all pitched in tens of thousands of dollars to cover some of her costs. Who will pay for your care if you need it?
Nicole’s hope for ALL Canadians is that the Action Plan for Lyme would be the “catalyst for change”.
Nicole and thousands of other Lyme sufferers across Canada are devastated to see that this Framework has NO EFFECTIVE ACTION at all. The Framework is a violation of Public Health’s mandate, Bill 442 and possibly the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (s. 7) granting all Canadians the right to life, liberty and security of the person.
Please sign this petition asking the Canadian Government to reject the current Federal Framework for Lyme disease and FIX IT. The Plan must recognize the seriousness of this disease for all of us. Time is ticking. Canada has NO good plan. You could be the next BITE. #TickingLymeBomb
SIGN THE PETITION, ADD YOUR COMMENT, AND SHARE WIDELY
Please ALSO send an email to your federal MP – click here to find your MP based on your postal code: https://lop.parl.ca/ParlInfo/Compilations/HouseOfCommons/MemberByPostalCode.aspx?Menu=HOC
Let him or her know you are concerned about Lyme disease and the issues raised in this Petition, and that the Federal Framework is inadequate to protect you and other Canadians.
Below is the history of this Petition and all the updates since this Petition was first Launched in February 2017.
UPDATES:
[January 21, 2019 UPDATES:
Within the last 24 hours, LymeHope was featured twice on national television regarding mother to baby transmission of Lyme disease.
Last night, January 20, 2019, CTV National medical correspondent Avis Favaro’s story about “Mothers on a Mission” aired on national evening news: https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/mothers-on-a-mission-to-prove-lyme-disease-can-be-passed-to-unborn-child-1.4261403 And just hours ago, we were interview live on CTV Your Morning national news: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SV-S67tyjTI
[November, 2018 UPDATES:
Public Health Agency of Canada scientists publish a peer-reviewed systematic review on Lyme & pregnancy, which found that 50% of pregnant moms with a history of Lyme disease had an adverse birth outcome, which in some cases included miscarriage, stillbirth and newborn death, and 11% of the treated moms did as well: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0207067
When you combine this with Dr. Ralph Hawkins and Dr. Vett Lloyd’s recently published paper showing over 90% of Canadians infected with Lyme are being missed, it illustrates an alarming growing crisis in Canada and globally: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/6/4/125
[November 2018 UPDATES: A court case that has been winding it's way through the Canadian court system is going to trial in Ottawa starting November 26, 2018. Frank Papineau is suing 2 physicians and a local hospital for misdiagnosed Lyme disease which has caused ongoing health issues. He sought treatment for a tick bite and a "red ring of inflammation around the bite." His statement of claim alleges he repeatedly asked his physician whether it could be Lyme disease, yet he was never assessed for Lyme disease. He states he was later diagnosed with a complicated case of Lyme disease. See November 13, 2018 update for details and a news story found here: https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/ottawa-man-suing-two-doctors-for-failing-to-diagnose-and-treat-lyme-disease-1.4175793
Surprisingly, shortly after this story aired, the trial was postponed for up to 3 years: https://canlyme.com/2018/11/12/canadian-frank-papineau-sues-physicians-dr-pablo-romero-sierra-dr-johnny-brisebois-and-kemptville-district-hospital-in-ontario-superior-court-trial-to-start-november-26th-2018/ ]
[July 2018 UPDATES: In July 2018, the World Health Organization (WHO), published new "ICD Codes" including several new codes related to Lyme Borreliosis. The International Classification of Disease, or “ICD Codes”, is a system of medical coding created by the WHO for documenting diagnoses, diseases, signs and symptoms and social circumstances. Very significantly, one of the new ICD Codes is for "Congenital Lyme Borreliosis" - meaning the WHO has now recognized that Lyme borreliosis can be transmitted from pregnant mother to unborn child in utero.]
[June 2018 UPDATES: June 2018, Jennifer Kravis went to Geneva with an international volunteer group of physicians, scientists, Lyme patients and advocates to raise global human rights violations at the United Nations. 2 reports on Lyme disease related human rights violations have been published and filed with the United Nations, found on Amazon.com:
and
[May 2018 UPDATES: On May 7th, LymeHope, CanLyme and the G. Magnotta Foundation co-hosted a federal MP Round Table educational event on Lyme Disease across Canada. Over 40 MPs or their staffers were in attendance.]
[DECEMBER 11, 2017 UPDATES: In October, 2017, Anne Kingston from Maclean’s Magazine published an article featuring our work through LymeHope over the last few months. You can read the online version here: http://www.macleans.ca/society/health/how-the-new-impatient-patient-is-disrupting-medicine/ and pick up a hard copy on newsstands now (with Justin Trudeau on the cover). LymeHope has incorporated as a Canadian national-not-for profit organization, and we held our first public educational event in Oakville, Ontario on November 3, 2017. Sue Faber, RN, co-founder of LymeHope spoke about pregnancy and congenital Lyme disease – watch her presentation here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLFRYVcGeR4
Sue Faber and Jennifer Kravis, co-founders of LymeHope, met with the then Federal Health Minister Jane Philpott in August 2017, and delivered 4 bound volumes of research on the topic of pregnancy and transmission of Lyme disease through pregnancy. This was also addressed in testimony to the House of Commons Standing Committee of Health in June, 2017. Sue Faber’s testimony is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gByuqmZBNk&t=560s
Jennifer’s testimony on the realities Canadians with Lyme disease are facing is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wLAgudDsjY&t=6s
Given the volume of compelling research clearly indicating a risk to pregnant women and babies, as well as clear warnings on the websites of the March of Dimes (“If you get Lyme disease during your pregnancy, it may cause problems for your baby including certain birth defects and stillbirth”) https://www.marchofdimes.org/complications/lyme-disease-and-pregnancy.aspx and the Centres for Diseases Control (“Lyme disease acquired during pregnancy may lead to infection of the placenta and stillbirth”) https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/transmission/index.html, we were quite shocked to see this recent response by the current Health Minister Ginette Petitpas-Taylor to concerns raised by the Health Committee, in which she states: “there is little evidence to suggest that the agent of Lyme disease can be transmitted sexually, prenatally, perinatally or through blood transfusions”, and “there is no conclusive evidence to suggest Lyme disease can be transmitted though other means than a direct bite.” The full letter may be found on MP Len Webber’s website here: http://www.lenwebber.ca/. We have requested a meeting with Health Minister Petitpas-Taylor but have not yet received a response.
[SEPTEMBER 17, 2017 UPDATE: Jennifer Kravis, representing LymeHope, along with 11 other Lyme patient/advocates from across Canada, were invited to Ottawa to a Round Table discussion with Public Health Agency of Canada to get an update on the rollout of the Framework. Video update here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyVB8VDexpc
[AUGUST 28, 2017 UPDATE: Sue Faber and Jennifer Kravis, co-founders of LymeHope, met with then Health Minister Jane Philpott on August 22, 2017 and delivered over 2,700 personal Lyme Letters and 50,000 Petition signatures with over 13,000 personal comments. Video Update here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMw9Av3zmrQ]
On August 28, 2017, there was a federal Cabinet shuffle. Minister Philpott was moved to a newly created portfolio – Indigenous Services – which includes responsibility for the delivery of health care services to Indigenous populations. We plan to follow up with Minister Philpott in her new role as there is much work to be done to educate and protect Indigenous communities, many of whom live in high risk areas for Lyme disease. Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor was appointed as the new health Minister and we are following up with her.
[JULY 23rd UPDATE : We have great news - after 3 trips to Ottawa, numerous meetings with MPs and senators, and 6 months of continued phone calls and emails to Minister Philpott's office requesting a meeting - we have finally been invited to Ottawa in August to meet the Minister and deliver the personal Lyme Letters. We need even more Lyme Letters! Please send yours to lymeletterscanada@gmail.com by AUGUST 15TH and please let us know if we have your permission to keep a copy of your letter for purposes of sharing with the media and other MPs. You can follow our journey on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/lymehopecanada/ and on www.lymehope.ca ]
[JUNE 10th UPDATE: The House of Commons Standing Committee of Health had a 2 day study into the concerns about the Lyme Framework on June 6th / 8th. We (Jennifer Kravis and Sue Faber) were both called to testify as witnesses – our testimony can be watched here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wLAgudDsjY and here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gByuqmZBNk
The Committee wrote a letter of recommendation to the Federal Health Minister but we have not been given a copy.
Please continue writing your MP to let him or her know you are very concerned and the issues raised in this Petition need to be addressed urgently. Also consider writing to ALL the members of the Health Committee to express your concerns and ask them to take action including (1) directing research into immediate better testing, congenital and sexual transmission, and (2) the establishment of an oversight committee with equal representation from public health, members of the Canadian Lyme Science Alliance, Clinicians specialising in treating chronic Lyme and patients and advocates.
Committee Members: Bill Casey (lib) Cumberland-Colchester, NS (Chair), Len Webber (pc) Calgary-Confederation, AB (Vice Chair), Don Davies (ndp) Vancouver Kingsway, BC (Vice Chair), Ramez Ayoub (lib) Thérèse-De Blainville, QC, Colin Carrie (pc), Oshawa, ON, Doug Eyolfson (lib) (an MD), Charleswood — St. James — Assiniboia — Headingley, MB, Rachel Harder (pc) Lethbridge, AB, Darshan Singh Kang (lib), Calgary Skyview, AB, John Oliver (lib), Oakville, ON, Sonia Sidhu (lib), Brampton South, ON]
[JUNE 8th UPDATE: Federal Health Minister Jane Philpott announced the release of the final Framework on May 30th, as well as $4 million in funding (spread over 5 years). The final Framework DOES NOT address in any meaningful way ANY of the serious issues raised in this Petition (see the Update on this Petition: the Final Framework has NOT been fixed. Please continue to sign and share until Canadians are adequately protected.]
[APRIL 29th UPDATE: Minister Philpott, despite numerous requests, has not agreed to talk to or meet with us despite almost 40,000 signatures and over 10,400 comments. Sue Faber and Jennifer Kravis are headed to Ottawa on May 2nd for the second time to raise these Canadian voices to Members of Parliament. Follow their journey here: https://www.facebook.com/lymehopecanada/
[MARCH 9TH UPDATE: Yesterday (March 8, 2017) Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) stopped accepting public feedback. PHAC received notice of over 36,000 signatures before their cut-off date. This Petition will continue until the original goal, to have the Health Minister reject the Framework, is met.]
[MARCH 9TH UPDATE: The MP Round Table was held in Ottawa on Monday March 6th. We continue to suggest that concerned Canadians write their MPs via the MP Letter link on www.lymehope.ca to ask him or her to encourage Minister Philpott to reject the draft Framework. ]
[FEBRUARY 7, 2017: The draft Framework is released, and this Petition was launched shortly after in protest.]
This petition will go to:
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Federal Health Minister Patty Hajdu
Public Health Agency of Canada
A copy of the petition will be sent to:
Lyme Letters Campaign www.lymehope.ca
CanLyme, Canada’s National Lyme Advocacy Group
For More Information:
On Lyme Disease & Co-Infections: www.canlyme.com and www.ilads.org
On the Lyme Letters Campaign: www.lymehope.ca
Public Health Agency of Canada Framework: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/diseases-conditions/lyme-disease-canada-federal-framework.html
References:
[1] Patrick A. Leighton, Jules K. Koffi, Yann Pelcat, L. Robbin Lindsay, Nicholas H. Ogden. Predicting the speed of tick invasion: an empirical model of range expansion for the Lyme disease vector Ixodes scapularis in Canada.Journal of Applied Ecology, 2012; http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2664.2012.02112.x/abstract;jsessionid=BDF9CD369FD70D6E8CA8FF16A4AA5015.f04t01
[2] Annals of Internal Medicine: http://annals.org/article.aspx?articleid=699780 PubMed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7648832
[3] https://canlyme.com/2014/01/25/lyme-disease-may-be-sexually-transmitted-study-suggests/
[4] https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/features/babesia_article_9-5-11.html