At last.
*Natalia*
Doctors, scientists are taking it to the streets
By Tobi Cohen, Postmedia News July 21, 2012
Read more:
http://www.timescolonist.com/technology/Doctors+scientists+taking+streets/6969649/story.html#ixzz21I6UGwcf
It's not every day 2,000 scientists in white lab coats march on
Parliament Hill toting a coffin.
Or an esteemed senior physician abruptly interrupts a cabinet minister
midway through a Pan Am Games announcement.
But both these have happened in recent days as doctors and scientists
resort to tactics more common among student protesters or blue-collar
activists. They've been holding sit-ins and heckling politicians.
The doctors were protesting government cuts to refugee health care; the
scientists marched to condemn what they call the "death of evidence,"
through, for instance, the muzzling of scientists and cuts to
environmental protection.
Does the public have a different perception of a physician protester
denouncing health-care cuts than it might of a Montreal student activist
decrying tuition hikes? Does the government treat the two sorts of
protesters differently? And are there limits on how doctors and
scientists should behave during protests, lines they should not cross?
"The idea that scientists would come out and mobilize, and physicians as
well, I think that is important for us to sort of pay attention," said
University of Ottawa associate political studies professor Michael
Orsini. He said it isn't simply because they have a "privileged role" in
society, "but because some of the concerns they're raising are concerns
for us all."
It may be harder for the government to discredit professionals who
protest than to slam students or habitual activists, but Orsini noted
there's still no guarantee doctors and scientists will have the ear of
government.
He also suggested that some people might be concerned about
professionals becoming "too political" and noted there's always a risk
that any group's tactics could upstage the issues they're trying to
highlight.
Dr. Philip Berger is an organizer behind Canadian Doctors for Refugee
Care, which staged a sit-in at Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver's
constituency office in May. More recently, it's been encouraging
physicians across the country to interrupt cabinet ministers at public
events.
The Toronto physician called his group's tactics unprecedented in the 42
years since he entered medical school. He says the doctors aren't acting
from self-interest, since few of them owe their incomes to treating
refugees.
Katie Gibbs, a PhD candidate in biology and organizer for the "death of
evidence" march that took place not only in Ottawa but in cities such as
Winnipeg, Calgary, Regina and Guelph, Ont., agreed her group's tactics
are also unusual. She said they're born of desperation as appeals to the
government through letters and discussions proved fruitless.
"This is the first time I can think of where Canadian scientists have
spoken out on such a large scale. . . . We don't normally get
political," she said.
Medical professionals were not consulted before the government decided
in April to cut pharmaceutical, vision and dental services provided to
certain refugee claimants under the Interim Federal Health Program. The
cuts were a bid by the government to ensure they were not receiving
"gold-plated" extras average Canadians don't get.
But doctors argue the cuts go too deep, and since they took effect June
30, Berger said there have already been reports of refugees being denied
blood tests, diagnostic imaging, specialist care and even antibiotics
for strep throat.
The government appeared to back down on the scope of cuts earlier this
month, but Berger said calls to reverse the policy completely have
fallen on deaf ears. The public has been receptive, he said, but
government officials have called the protesters "militants" and
"extremists" who don't understand the changes.
A spokeswoman for Immigration Minister Jason Kenney declined to comment
on the appropriateness of the tactics doctors are using, but said the
physicians involved don't speak for everybody.
© Copyright (c) The Victoria Times Colonist
Read more:
http://www.timescolonist.com/technology/Doctors+scientists+taking+streets/6969649/story.html#ixzz21I6K2Ags
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