TAKE 5 - The 5 Minute “Power of Advocacy” Challenge

​PAN, in cooperation with parent and advocacy groups — Vancouver District Parent Advisory Council, First Call: BC Child and Youth Advocacy Coalition, Richmond Schools Stand United, Surrey Students Now, Comox Valley Families for Public Education, Families Against Cuts to Education BC— recently sent a letter calling on the Government of Canada to direct infrastructure funding towards urgently needed seismic upgrades in British Columbia’s public schools. Doing so will enable the federal government to ensure the health and safety of thousands of Canadians (most of them children), provide post-quake emergency shelters, and meet its goals of investing in social infrastructure to lay the foundation for Canada’s future.
 
We question why our children’s safety is discussed in the context of political games and priorities and treated as an education budget item.  We believe public school buildings should not be linked to the education budget. In a province with a massive budget surplus, it is unacceptable that tens of thousands of children go to school every day in high-risk schools that will collapse in even a moderate earthquake. 
 
To reinforce this important message to the Federal Government, TAKE 5 is a quick way to reach more Members of Parliament (MPs). We thank the parents of Seismic Safety for BC Schools for this easy but powerful advocacy idea.
 
Please TAKE 5 to support this collective effort and send an email to your local MP asking how they plan to address this child safety issue and how they plan to hlep the federal government meet this critical safety need. 
 
HERE’S HOW:

1. Using your Postal Code, find the email for your Federal Member of Parliament (MP).
2. Copy the text of our form letter email (doc) (pdf) — you may edit it to be a bit more personal to you (e.g., where your child attends school, add your address as a constituent, etc). To find out the seismic status of schools in your area, see the government's NOTE: Updated November 4, 2016 Seismic Mitigation Progress Report, October 2016 as this doesn't contain H ratings, here is a pdf of September's Report.
3. Attach a copy of our PAN letter to your email.
4. Add parentadvocacynetwork@gmail.com to the CC field so we can keep track of how many emails are sent and to which MPs.
5. Hit SEND.

 
United we are STRONGER! The more pressure they feel from more people, the more our government will be forced to listen and act.
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