Disappointed with MP’s performance
Although I realize there are many responsibilities and commitments of our local MPs, we the taxpayers who elect and pay their salaries should feel we are able to voice our concerns and have the support of our elected leaders. This is where I personally feel let down by Richard Cannings.
I reached out to Richard Cannings’ office on Feb. 19, 2020 via email requesting his aid in helping Cystic Fibrosis patients gain access to a new life-saving drug therapy currently unavailable in Canada. My 10-year-old daughter has CF. By March 3, 2020, I had not received a reply so I sent a follow-up email inquiring whether my first email had been received. Shortly after, his assistant made arrangements for a meeting with Mr. Cannings which took place on March 17, 2020.
At that meeting I explained further what CF is and the numerous daily treatments required of all CF patients to maintain their health as best they can.
I explained how truly life changing this drug has been to the thousands of other patients who currently have access in other countries. At that time, I also presented Mr. Cannings with a petition he said he could present during Question Period and address our federal health minister with along with explaining to her the urgency of CF patients gaining access to this medicine, especially in the midst of a pandemic that could potentially have major long-term health effects on CF patients being as it’s primarily a lung disease.
I walked away feeling positive and confident we had his support and he stated he would be in touch with an update.
Even though I’ve reached out, I have yet to receive any response from Mr. Cannings a year-and-a-half after our meeting.
My communications with Mr. Cannings office were not harassing, I literally waited weeks, sometimes months for a reply. I am simply a mother who loves her daughter more than the world and will always work tirelessly to help make her life and fellow CF patients lives a little easier.
I wasn’t asking for much, just another voice that I thought may be able to make a difference.
Going forward, I have no further questions or requests of Mr. Cannings. Rather I bring to my fellow taxpaying citizens attention the clear lack of compassion and concern Mr. Cannings has displayed in my instance to the people he is being paid by to represent. Debbie Robinson
Penticton