For a few years, parents of Quebec schoolchildren with food allergies have expressed concern on Allergic Living’s Forum about the need for legislation in the province to ensure that there are proper prevention and emergency measures in place in the schools.
Often they have cited examples of inconsistent teacher training for dealing with anaphylaxis – the swift-progressing and severe form of allergic reaction. Now a tragedy has struck within the Montreal school system: on September 16, 2010, a 6-year-old Montreal pupil named Megann Ayotte Lefort suffered a fatal asthmatic and allergic reaction.
For the sake of approximately 72,000 students in Quebec who are at risk of anaphylaxis and the tens of thousands more with asthma, the time has come for legislation similar to the groundbreaking Sabrina’s Law in Ontario.
Please join our campaign to urge the Quebec government to act to create such a law.
On the next page, Allergic Living provides a sample letter that you can personalize and e-mail directly to the Quebec ministers of education and health.
It is especially important for Quebec residents to take part, but concerned citizens from other parts of Canada and the United States are also encouraged to send a letter.
Thank you for your support of the Write-in Campaign. Allergic Living will post updates on the Forum and our Facebook page.
Ask your family and friends as well to support the campaign. The more voices, the more likely we will convince Quebec’s political leaders to act!
Diane Dubord, Executive Director
AQAA / Quebec Food Allergy Association
Gervais Bélanger, Executive Director
Asthma and Allergies Quebec
Laurie Harada, Executive Director
Anaphylaxis Canada
Marie-Josée Bettez, President
Déjouer les allergies
Gwen Smith, Editor
Allergic Living magazine
Julie Larochelle, President
Guardian Angel Foods
Andrea Shainblum, Principal
Montreal Area Support Group and Allergy Coaching International
Lise Samson, President
Les allergies alimentaires
Cynthia Gariepy, Principal
Solution Saveur Santé