UPDATE JANUARY 30, 2024:
PLEASE CHECK OUT THE CHARLOTTETOWN GUARDIAN TODAY. THERE IS AN ARTICLE ON THE OPINION PAGE TITLED AILING ISLANDERS LEFT IN THE COLD.
https://saltwire.pressreader.com/article/281668259859123
THE THEME TODAY IS SEAFOOD.
Many people on P.E.I. make a living from fishing. I like to play the tourist in the summer and visit seafood restaurants. The menu usually offers lobster, clams, oysters and mussels. My favourite is lobster!
What does a lobster symbolize? It encourages you to have a strong shell and stay protected when things get difficult and when life comes to you hard and fast. They are symbolic of strength, protection, resilience, and persistence. Lobsters have five pairs of legs, which they use for movement and strength. The limbs of the lobster represent the ability to move forward and overcome obstacles. The song, Lester the Lobster from P.E.I. comes to mind.
I also enjoy clams and the term HAPPY AS A CLAM pops in my head. “The World Is Your Oyster” suggests that someone has a bright future with lots of opportunity. Mussels are a symbol of protection, new beginnings, courage and determination.
Let’s look at the menu of life a little more closely: Our family has suffered severely over the past year. We stood strong, overcame obstacles and moved forward like the lobster.
It was hard to be HAPPY AS A CLAM when our world was falling apart. Unlike the oyster, our son will have to endure his mental illness for the rest of his life and perhaps not have the bright future he dreamed about and deserves.
We hope our son will have protection, courage, determination and a new beginning like the mussel. This is possible with medication. The problem is that the mentally ill come off their medication due to the symptom of anosognosia.
A Community Treatment Order will ensure a mentally ill person stays on their medication in the community and out of the hospital. The following is an analogy.
Suppose you go to a restaurant and have lobster on your mind, only to discover there is no lobster available. Would you settle for clams, oysters or mussels? They are delicious, but not the best on the menu. They are second best. They are not what you wanted, will not satisfy your yen, and not meet your need.
I compare this situation to the restrictive Silver Standard Community Treatment Order that was legislated by the P.E.I. PC Party. The Gold Standard CTO belongs to New Brunswick. More people qualify for it as it is very flexible.
I asked the politicians why the restrictive CTO was chosen over the flexible N.B. CTO. But they CLAMMED UP! There was no explanation provided.
I believe I have characteristics like the lobster, as I am persistently lobbing the P.E.I Government for a CTO Amendment in the 2024 spring session.
Do you think the PC Party will give our family and others the best P.E.I. lobster or the other second-best seafood on the menu?
Will they have the courage like the mussel to do the right thing?
A community treatment order ensures that a mentally ill person stays on their medication and provides them with a healthy life in the community. P.E.I. now has a CTO but it is so restrictive that Andrew and many others do not qualify.
I received this post from Cheryl Wertman. "I’m a retired nurse who used to work downtown TO with street involved folks. I’ve seen many Andrew’s and feel CTOs should be much more readily accessible when persons are unable to care for themselves and are at risk of imminent health and danger."
I am not a great lover of country music, but I feel this song speaks to my GOAL of doing what is right. It is titled, You've Got to Stand for Something by Aaron Tippin. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHIw6vs4z0w
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The present CTO is like giving a battery operated truck to a child without the battery. And saying, "The truck is good enough for now, I will give you the battery to operate it after "24" months." The P.E.I. CTO is as useless as this!
In my opinion, I do not believe that the PC Party Ministers and MLAs realized the negative impact the restrictive CTO would have on Islanders, like Andrew and others. I believe in my heart they will amend the CTO in the 2024 Spring Session, because it is the RIGHT THING TO DO!
DO YOU THINK THE PC PARTY WILL DO THE RIGHT THING?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Please contact Hon. Mark McLane and your MLA.
HON. MARK MCLANE CONTACT METHODS:
e-mail: mamclaneminister@gov.pe.ca
phone: 902-368-5250
mail: Hon. Mark McLane, 4th Floor Shaw North, P.O. Box 2000, Charlottetown, P.E.I. C1A 7N8
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Thousands of people from Ontario and P.E.I. were praying that Andrew would be brought safely back home. God answered our prayers and a MIRACLE happened. I have posted the following song daily, God Will Make a Way. Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zo3fJYtS-o
Please check out my new CTO POEM CONTEST to help convince politicians to amend the Community Treatment Order at the 2024 Spring Session. There is a potato product prize. Please view my Profile Page for details. Anyone in Canada may enter! I will post poems. Please send your poem to ghizpark@eastlink.ca. Thank you.
I will accept poems up until Feb. 27, 2024 and beyond until a CTO Amendment is legislated.
HERE IS A SAMPLE POEM:
The CTO has failed the test.
We as Islanders, want the best!
You have the power to do what is right!
We have been lobbying day and night.
Mama Bear never gives up you see.
Until an amendment in spring 2024 there be!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ WE HAVE ACHIEVED 1772 SIGNATURES AND CLIMBING! IT IS URGENT THAT YOU KEEP SIGNING! WE NEED TO OVERWHELM THE P.E.I. GOVERNMENT WITH YOUR SIGNATURES.
URGENT: DO YOU THINK WE CAN ACHIEVE 2000 SIGNATURES BY FEBRUARY 27, 2024?
Here is the petition link: https://chng.it/MF2H48rszv PLEASE SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE AND INSERT YOUR NAME, AND REASON FOR SIGNING IN THE BLOCK. SIGNING IS FAST AND FREE.
ANYONE IN CANADA MAY SIGN THE PETITION! PLEASE CONTACT YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS. PLEASE SIGN AND SHARE!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
PERHAPS YOU MIGHT LIKE TO SEND A LETTER OR NOTE OF ENCOURAGEMENT AND SUPPORT TO ANDREW. HERE IS THE ADDRESS: HILLSBOROUGH HOSPITAL, 115 DEACON GROVE, P.O. BOX 1929, CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I., C1A 7N5.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
MAMA BEAR WILL NEVER GIVE UP!