Sandra Finley

Jan 192010
 

http://www.redress.cc/global/redress20100206 

Bush to The Hague


International Criminal Court complaint filed against Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Tenet, Rice and Gonzales

Request for international arrest warrants

6 February 2010    (INSERT:  the documents were filed with the ICC on January 19.) 

A leading US professor of law has filed a complaint with the International Criminal Court prosecutor against former US President George W. Bush and a number of his senior lieutenants alleging crimes against humanity for their policy and practice of “extraordinary rendition” and requesting that the ICC prosecutor obtain international arrest warrants against Mr Bush and his co-accused.

Professor Francis A. Boyle of the University of Illinois College of Law in Champaign, USA, has filed a complaint with the prosecutor for the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague against US citizens George W. Bush, Richard Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, George Tenet, Condoleezza Rice and Alberto Gonzales (the “Accused”) for their criminal policy and practice of “extraordinary rendition” perpetrated upon about 100 human beings.

“Extraordinary rendition” is a euphemism for the enforced disappearance of persons and their consequent torture. This criminal policy and practice by the Accused constitutes crimes against humanity in violation of the Rome Statute establishing the ICC.

The United States is not a party to the Rome Statute. Nevertheless, the Accused have ordered and been responsible for the commission of actions considered as crimes under the ICC statute within the respective territories of many ICC member states, including several in Europe. Consequently, the ICC has jurisdiction to prosecute the Accused for their ICC statutory crimes under Rome Statute Article 12(2)(a) that affords the ICC jurisdiction to prosecute for ICC statutory crimes committed in ICC member states.

The complaint requests:

  1. That the ICC prosecutor open an investigation of the Accused on his own accord under Rome Statute article 15(1); and
  2. That the ICC Prosecutor also formally “submit to the [ICC] Pre-Trial Chamber a request for authorization of an investigation” of the Accused under Rome Statute Article 15(3).

For similar reasons, the highest level officials of the Obama administration risk the filing of a follow-up complaint with the ICC if they do not immediately terminate the Accused’s criminal policy and practice of “extraordinary rendition, which the Obama administration has continued to implement.

The complaint concludes with a request that the ICC prosecutor obtain international arrest warrants for the Accused from the ICC in accordance with Rome Statute articles 58(1)(a), 58(1)(b)(i), 58(1)(b)(ii), and 58(1)(b)(iii).

Please contact the ICC prosecutor by letter, fax or email – contact details below – to demonstrate your support for this complaint.

The Honourable Luis Moreno-Ocampo
Office of the Prosecutor
International Criminal Court
Post Office Box 19519
2500 CM, The Hague
The Netherlands
Fax No.: 31-70-515-8555
Email: OTP.InformationDesk@icc-cpi.int

A copy of the submission to the ICC prosecutor is below and is also available here.

Jan 172010
 

STATSCAN DOES DATA COLLECTION ON INDIVIDUALS IN BETWEEN CENSUSES.    (this posting is incomplete )

      A. THE STORY OF FRIENDS WHO LIVE IN SOUTHEAST SASKATOON: STATISTICS CANADA CAME INTO THE HOME, QUESTIONS FOR MORE THAN HALF AN HOUR, ENTERED RESPONSES ONTO A COMPUTER. HAD TO SEE THEIR ACTUAL INCOME TAX FORMS.  JANUARY 5, 2010.  NOT EVEN DURING A CENSUS. 

      B.  PH.D. STUDENT RECEIVED A STATSCAN FORM THAT REQUIRED ETHNIC BACKGROUND, DETAILED INFORMATION. SHE THOUGHT “NO WAY”.  STATISTICS CANADA SENT HER A LETTER TO SAY THAT IF SHE DOESN’T SUPPLY THE INFORMATION, SHE IS LIABLE TO JAIL TIME AND A FINE.  NOT EVEN DURING A CENSUS. 

      C.  SAME STORY FROM A WOMAN WHO LIVES A NUMBER OF BLOCKS UP THE STREET.  HER FOCUS WAS ON THE INCOME INFORMATION THAT STATSCAN WANTS FROM HER. 

Coincidentally (serendipitously), I had these three conversations immediately following trial days on Jan 11 and 12th, 2010. 

Add to these:

            2010-04-03   Sue Crowther Edmonton threatened with jail and fine over StatsCan survey

            (Get the other 2 letters-to-editor, from Saskatoon people) 

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      A. THE STORY OF FRIENDS WHO LIVE IN SOUTHEAST SASKATOON: STATISTICS CANADA CAME INTO THE HOME, QUESTIONS FOR MORE THAN HALF AN HOUR, ENTERED RESPONSES ONTO A COMPUTER. HAD TO SEE THEIR ACTUAL INCOME TAX FORMS.  JANUARY 5, 2010.  NOT EVEN DURING A CENSUS. 

These people:

– Received a letter from Statistics Canada in the busy time leading up to Christmas.  Didn’t take time to read it.

– January 5th.  Woman came to the house. Showed a badge and said she was from Statistics Canada. This woman was nice, a widow.

– My friend was hesitant about the questions.  She was told it would take 15 minutes.

–  The StatsCan worker had “a laptop computer and entered your responses”.  It took at least half an hour.

– questions like How much you spend on clothes.

– How much is your income for the year.

– “Way more information than we wanted to give.”

– The StatsCan employee asked for permission to check out income information with Revenue Canada and “look at our Income Tax paper”.

– She said (to calm the hesitation) that the information would not be known by name. 

My friend involved her husband at this point.  Her husband was “leery”.  I (Sandra) spoke with him today regarding the assertion made by the StatsCan employee that she had to see the actual Income Tax Return. 

– “I had to get my income tax paper out.  She looked at it.  It was unbelievable.  They wanted to know everything. I said it’s getting to be just like communism. There’s nothing secret (INSERT: private) at all.”      

The family was left a diary to fill out that covered a 2-week period.  The Statistics Canada worker “called back a couple of times, checking on information, to see if you have any troubles (with filling out the form).”

This is a StatsCan “survey”. 

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B.  PH.D. STUDENT RECEIVED A STATSCAN FORM THAT REQUIRED ETHNIC BACKGROUND, DETAILED INFORMATION. SHE THOUGHT “NO WAY”.  STATISTICS CANADA SENT HER A LETTER TO SAY THAT IF SHE DIDN’T SUPPLY THE INFORMATION SHE WAS LIABLE TO JAIL TIME AND A FINE. 

Again, this happened recently, not during a census.  I only learned about it because I was waiting in a line-up and struck up a conversation with this young woman who was standing next to me.  We had a lot of time to talk.

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c.  SAME STORY FROM A WOMAN WHO LIVES A NUMBER OF BLOCKS UP THE STREET.  HER FOCUS WAS ON THE INCOME INFORMATION THAT STATSCAN WANTS FROM HER.

 In the course of two days I was surprised to come across these three cases when I wasn’t even looking. 

 The Statistics Act is explicit:  the sanctions of jail time and a fine do not apply to “surveys”.  (insert hyperlink) 

(add Susan Crowther, etc.)

Jan 172010
 

This was confirmed in my cross-examination of the prosecution witness, Anil Arora from Statistics Canada. 

A simple google will show you that this is the same situation as in the United States (Lockheed Martin – IBM partnership, census contracts). 

Lockheed Martin has contracts for the next U.K. census.  I do not know whether it is the same, with IBM a sub-contractor. 

You might also want to google “Lockheed Martin surveillance”.

Jan 172010
 

DISCRIMINATION IN THE EXERCISE OF POWERS UNDER THE STATISTICS ACT IS PROHIBITED: 

http://www.statcan.gc.ca/about-apercu/act-loi-eng.htm

No discrimination

9.  (1) Neither the Governor in Council nor the Minister shall, in the execution of the powers conferred by this Act, discriminate between individuals or companies to the prejudice of those individuals or companies. 

ALSO, UNDER THE CHARTER OF RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS, LAWS CANNOT BE APPLIED UNEQUALLY.   I am sorry, I’ve forgotten which one of you articulated so brilliantly!:

Regardless of the specifics of a case, equality before the law is a principle that must be defended.  In other words, a law applied inconsistently is not a law but a breach of the law and any time the judiciary condones such a practice it violates a sacred duty and must be called to account.”

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I wrote StatsCan in 2004,  to tell them it was wrong to outsource StatsCan work to Lockheed Martin Corp.  It was in the early days of social media.  Thousands of Canadians did the same – – –  (note to self, Nov 2018 – – look up the links.)  I blogged information.  The Census started.  Anil Arora phoned, to convince me to fill in my census form.  We spoke for about 45 minutes.  From my point-of-view,  he provided unsound arguments.  And did not deal with my objections.    I received numerous threats –  –  fill in the form, provide your personal information to us,  or  you will be prosecuted, fined and jailed.  Nearing the end of the two year Statute of Limitations for prosecution,  I received a Summons to Court.   Not selective prosecution?   And not an attempt to take away my Charter Right to Privacy of Personal Information, without going through the steps required by the Law, for a Charter Override?

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INPUT FROM LAWYER:  Sun 1/23/2011  

Sandra, 

I took a look at the transcript (my trial), and he said that 64 people were charged. He refused to provide an answer on compliance, claiming that compliance was a moving target (he claimed they were still trying to get answers at the time of the hearing). We never did get compliance numbers from him, and he was really evasive, but he never actually said that only 64 people failed to comply – he said that 64 were charged.

Steven Seiferling 

McKercher LLP

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Anil Arora said that the 2006 census was no different from other years.  The rate of non-compliance was consistent with past censuses.

I received the census “long form” (40 pages with 50 questions).  A former employee of StatsCan has been in touch with me anonymously and said that the rate of non-compliance with the long form doubled between the 2001 and the 2006 censuses.

This would be consistent with newspaper reports of non-compliance levels, it would be consistent with the Vive le Canada and “Count Me Out” websites.  It is consistent with the numerous emails I have received from people who did not comply and were not referred for prosecution.

I introduced newspaper articles to the Court “35,000 First Nations” did not fill in their census forms, etc..  Anil Arora did not budge from the mantra “64 people were referred to the Justice Department for prosecution”.

2008-01-15   No charges sought for 35,000 (200,000 by 2010) natives who ignore census

EXCERPT

A repeated theme of my work over the years has been that Government use of “spin doctors” or “communications specialists” also contributes to the undermining of our system of governance. We learn to mistrust what the Government says, because too many times we see through the spin. It is as though we are thought to be stupid.

In the G&M article Census branch director-general Peter Morrison is quoted:  “Mr. Morrison called the response to the census a “resounding success,” especially on Canada’s native reserves.”

The response to the Census was a disaster that caused large cost overruns as the Government sought to get compliance.  There were numerous, repeating newspaper reports of StatsCan efforts in the face of low return rates.  The part of the statement related to First Nations, of and by itself MIGHT be true.  But in the context of the court cases “resounding success,” is very misleading.

First Nations’ compliance is a separate issue.  It was being handled by StatsCan, Jan.2008:  “Statistics Canada seeks co-operative approach as compliance climbs“.

“Charges won’t be pursued against natives on reserves because their compliance rates used to be considerably worse, says Anil Arora, director general of the census program branch at Statistics Canada.”

 NOTE:  in January 2008 when the “35,000 natives” article was written, Anil Arora was identied as the director general.  In the July article “Two face jail“, Peter Morrison is the director-general.  Morrison’s expense claims in 2009 and 2010 for travel to the International Census Forum   and  To attend the Steering Committee Meeting with Lockheed Martin and visit the United States Data Processing Centre (DPC) site    are at the bottom of

2016-03-18   Does Lockheed Martin Corp have a role in the 2016 Census?

This posting addresses collaboration by specified countries (Canada) on data bases of citizens in their statistics departments (census bureaux), under the Steerage of Lockheed Martin Corp.  From its website, a specialty of Lockheed Martin is international surveillance.  It works with the NSA.  Edward Snowden revealed to the world what the NSA does, and that “back door” entrance to data bases is the game, if they can’t get front door (legal) access.

The posting also documents some of the “Credibility Gap” at StatsCan.

The newspaper reports and the volumes of traffic on my blog (“Comments”) – – people seeking information, tells you that thousands of people did not comply with the 2006 census – Anil Arora misled the Court (my trial) under oath.

See also:

2013-10   Lockheed Martin Census: StatsCan math is wrong on non-compliance. It’s 11%, not 2%. Under oath at the trial of Audrey Tobias.

Jan 172010
 

CONTENTS

(1)  FROM STATSCAN WITNESS AT MY TRIAL REGARDING GPS LOCATOR INFORMATION FOR CENSUS FILES.

(2)  DOOR-TO-DOOR COLLECTION OF CENSUS DATA FROM IBM AND THE HOLOCAUST

This is further to 2009-01  The IBM/Lockheed Martin Census: GPSing Your Home (U.S.).  And what to do about it.  

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(1)  FROM STATSCAN WITNESS AT MY TRIAL REGARDING GPS LOCATOR INFORMATION FOR CENSUS FILES.

At my trial date on January 11, 

Anil Arora testified for the prosecution (“the Crown”) on behalf of Statistics Canada.  He is Assistant Chief Statistician, the equivalent of an “assistant deputy minister”.  He described in detail his duties at StatsCan at the time of the 2006 census and today.  He is well-equipped to answer questions on behalf of StatsCan.  He is the person who phoned me from StatsCan in 2006.  We had a lengthy discussion in which he told me why I should fill in my census form.  He did not actually respond to the reasons I gave him for non-compliance.  I taped the conversation.

Anil Arora is heavily involved in implementation of censuses (2006, 2011) and in planning of the 2016 census.

He is generally evasive and very difficult to pin down.  He also lies under oath, for example regarding the number of Canadians who did not comply with the 2006 census.

During his presentation of evidence I jotted down actual words and phrases made by Anil Arora:

“Every single Canadian has to be counted.  It starts off with the dwelling.  It starts with a listing exercise down to the block level.  Building to building.  Confirm every building.  Maps and locations.” 

During cross-examination I asked further, to determine whether the same was intended in Canada as in the U.S. because the wording is almost the same as is being used in the U.S.

I asked “Does StatsCan plan to use hand-held computers for enumerators with GPS coordinate-recording capability for each household?”.

He says this is not in the plans.

(Poorly-worded question. I am not good at cross-examination!)

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(2)  DOOR-TO-DOOR COLLECTION OF CENSUS DATA, FROM IBM AND THE HOLOCAUST

In his book, (hyper link)  Edwin Black describes the warehouse-size buildings where row-on-row of mostly-women sat working at card-punch machines. 

Meanwhile, armies of census workers were going door-to-door, obtaining ever more and more information to bring back to the card-punch operators.  It was a massive undertaking.   Mechanized sorting of census data encoded in columns on IBM’s punch cards and hollerith machines is what enabled the Nazis to exterminate members of selected population segments.

Jan 122010
 

Section 1 of the Charter can be used to override charter rights, if the good of the larger society is more important than the individual right and freedom.  

BUT there are tests that must be passed, in order to allow an over-ride. 

At trial January 11-12 (2010) it suddenly dawned on me that the Prosecutor and Judge in my case are heading toward a Section 1 override of my Charter Right to privacy of personal information.  Yikes!  I am in over my head.  I don’t know how to defend against an override.  

I do not have the luxery of making any mistakes.  There is too much on the line, for all Canadians.  Should it come about that I lose the case, I will be appealing.  I do not expect to lose, however, the situation is dicey at the moment (January 12, 2010). 

I ran out the door of the Court House, straight to the lawyer, Steve Seiferling.   Please take over the case; on my own I am going to lose it!  And that charming, talented boy said “yes”. 

And that has made all the difference.  The tables are turned. 

THE OAKES TEST TO OVERRIDE CHARTER RIGHTS.   (The Government cannot meet the test.)

Jan 112010
 

Work on the Canadian census was first out-sourced to Lockheed Martin (contractor) and IBM  (sub-contractor) for the 2006 census.  

There was a test run of the 2006 census in 2004 (called the “mini-census). 

Prior to the 2006 census, the computerized census data base consisted of data that was not linked to a name. The records were for the purpose of generating “aggregate information”.  You don’t need names in order to do that.   

I confirmed in cross-examination of the StatsCan witness (Anil Arora) at my trial (January 12, 2010): 

Beginning with the 2006 census (which includes the 2004 “mini census”) the computerized data base of census records contains the name that goes with the data.  Previously the name was not part of the computerized record, it was on the microfiche record. 

Above all, Governments SHOULD NOT HAVE detailed personal information on every citizen.  That is the clear lesson of the Nazis in Europe, and a repeated lesson from every police-state in history. 

StatsCan claims that groups of people (provinces, First Nations, people with disabilities, etc.) will not receive their share of the $7 billion in transfer payments if StatsCan does not have census data on every citizen.  

The census is not a data base that contains all the personal information on every individual. 

We are not in a police state.  Unless we choose to be.

Jan 112010
 

I am changing strategy.  I have to hand the trial over to a lawyer.  

I believe that the right of citizens not to be forced into handing over a “biographical core of personal information” to the state is critical in a free and democratic society.  If I lose the case I will have done more harm than good, hence the need for a lawyer knowledgeable in Privacy Law to argue the case. 

It suddenly dawned on me in Court that the Prosecution has established the groundwork for arguing that the benefit of the census data to all Canadians is greater than my individual right to privacy of personal information.   I don’t know the legal arguments to defend against a “Section 1 override” as it is called.   Get my butt to the lawyer!

Jan 062010
 

CONTENTS

(1)     COMMENTARY

(2)     1999 MERCK’S ROTAVIRUS VACCINE PULLED FROM THE MARKET

(3)     GIVE BABIES ROTAVIRUS VACCINE, DOCTORS SAY (CBC, OCT 4)

(4)    PEDIATRICIANS WANT TO ADD ANOTHER SHOT (VANCOUVER SUN)

(5)    GLAXO-SMITH-KLINE’S WEBSITE, RESPONSE AFTER THEIR ROTAVIRUS VACCINE FOUND CONTAMINATED WITH A PIG VIRUS, MAY 2010

(6)    ROTAVIRUS VACCINE – WHAT’S A PARENT TO DO?

(7)    FIGURES ON THE RISE IN AUTISM AND LEARNING DISABILITIES, U.S.A. – MERCURY POISONING

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(1)    COMMENTARY

2009 – Rotavirus vaccine, contaminated with a pig virus, injected into more than a million kids in the U.S. alone  (items #6 and #5)

Diarrhea and vomiting is no longer the flu bug, it’s rotavirus?  Is that it?   Spread the fear.  Get out the needles, there’s money to be made.

20 – 60 deaths a year in North American children from (diarrhea and vomiting) rotavirus.  Actually from dehydration caused by the diarrhea and vomiting.

And the response is to vaccinate children at public expense.  Who pays and who profits?

Why not educate people to the risks of dehydration?

The virus is contagious.  Why not pay a living wage so that one parent can stay at home with young children?  Their immune systems are still in the developmental stages.

Medi-care doesn’t want to understand the human immune system.

Rotavirus kills about 30 children every year in the US, by one report.  (20 – 60 in North America by another.)

That is unfortunate, but those children will also be ones with poorly-developed or poorly-protected immune systems.

Or they will be the children of people who have not been told about the danger of dehydration.

The numbers are significant in poorer countries.  Vaccinate them, there’s money to be made.  To hell with doing anything that would strengthen their immune systems, like cleaning up their water supplies and getting good food to them.

Dr. Walker, quoted in the media says: “Serious ill effects from vaccine are absolutely incredibly rare”.   (Item #3)   That is bull shit.

In 1999, Merck’s rotavirus vaccine was pulled from the market because of the health problems it created (item #2).   In 2009 Merck’s rotavirus vaccine was pulled from the U.S. market because it was contaminated with a pig virus.   Why would we be putting monkey and pig parts in human vaccines?  ( . .  maybe it’s because we are monkeys and pigs?!)

“Rotavirus is a major public health issue,” Walker said.

Isn’t that helpful for the profits of Glaxo-Smith-Kline and Merck?

Which are ensured when the Government and medical professionals become their promoters.

All publicly-funded.

The statements by the doctors quoted in the recent media around the rotavirus vaccine are propaganda.  They do not contribute to informed dialogue.

See item #7.  Autism is a major public health issue.  In the fifties, it was 1/10000; 1/2000 in the seventies; 1/500 in 1996; 1/250 in 2000; 1/147 in 2001.

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(2)    1999 MERCK’S ROTAVIRUS VACCINE PULLED FROM THE MARKET

“In March 1998, the CDC’s (Centre for Disease Control’s) Advisory Committee … approved a live rotavirus vaccine made by genetically combining a human rotavirus strain with one from a monkey.  . . . Excitement soon turned to concern and fear.  In November 1999, the vaccine was pulled from the market because it was linked with ninety-nine reports of a rare bowel obstruction called intussusceptions and at least one death in infants.  Without proper treatment … intussusceptions can be fatal.

Jane Oriet, M.D., executive director of the Assoc of American Physicists and Surgeons (AAPS), questioned why the vaccine was approved in the first place.  (Conflicts of interest are documented.)  “ . . . AAPS has been studying the reports and has concluded that the FDA and CDC may have ignored or concealed data that showed the problems from the outset.” . . .   She believes that “the tragedy of the rotavirus vaccine might never have happened if the public had access to the data used by the FDA and CDC in recommending the vaccine.”

Was this the end of the rotavirus vaccine?  No, it was not.  A new rotavirus vaccine was approved in 2006 . . .  At least 190 cases of intussusceptions in infants receiving the new rotavirus vaccine have now been reported.  The CDC has reported that this is not higher than the expected rate of intussusceptions for unvaccinated children. . . .”

What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Children’s Vaccinations

Revised and Updated 2010

Published by Wellness Central

Author:  Stephanie Cave, M.D., F.A.A.F.P.

page 35

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(3)    GIVE BABIES ROTAVIRUS VACCINE, DOCTORS SAY (CBC, OCT 4)

http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2010/10/04/rotavirus-vaccine.html

Give babies rotavirus vaccine, doctors say

Last Updated: Monday, October 4, 2010

CBC News

All Canadian babies should be vaccinated against rotavirus, a group representing pediatricians says.

Rotavirus is the most common cause of serious diarrhea in babies and young children, and children under two years are most at risk of getting very sick, the Canadian Pediatric Society said in a statement.

On Monday, the society called for public funding of the rotavirus vaccine, which is not covered by provincial or territorial health plans.

The virus spreads person to person or indirectly, such as by sharing toys. The illness usually lasts three to eight days and cannot be treated with antibiotics.

In Canada, outbreaks of rotavirus usually occur between February and May. Serious illness can cause dehydration.

About 14 per cent of those who get the virus will seek medical attention, said the group, which estimates that up to 600 children are hospitalized for rotavirus annually.

Two rotavirus vaccines are approved for use in Canada.

The vaccine is given orally in two or three doses, starting at six weeks of age and ending no later than eight months. It can be given to babies at the same time as other regular immunizations.

The World Health Organization also recommends including rotavirus in national immunization programs.

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(4)    PEDIATRICIANS WANT TO ADD ANOTHER SHOT (VANCOUVER SUN)

(Link no longer valid http://www.vancouversun.com/health/Canadian+pediatricians+recommend+rotavirus+vaccination/3619687/story.html )

Pediatricians want to add another shot to the panoply of vaccines Canadian children receive, urging that every baby in the country be vaccinated against a virus that sends thousands of children to hospital each year.

Rotavirus is the leading cause of gastroenteritis — inflammation of the stomach and intestines causing diarrhea and vomitting — in infants in Canada. The virus, which is highly contagious, can cause dehydration and shock in extreme cases. Infants under two are at the greatest risk for severe infection.

According to the Canadian Paediatric Society, rotavirus gastroenteritis is responsible for more sickness than any other common diarrheal illness in children.

In a new position statement, to be released Monday, the Ottawa-based group is recommending rotavirus vaccination for all infants. It’s also calling for universal funding of the vaccines, for which no province currently pays.

The doctor’s group says most children will experience at least one episode of rotavirus by age five and one in 20 will require emergency treatment for it.

Death from rotavirus is rare in Canada; two such deaths have been reported in recent years. But, because the virus isn’t a reportable disease and there’s no routine testing for it, “cases could go unrecognized or unreported,” according to the position statement.

In the United States, 20 to 60 deaths due to rotavirus are reported annually. More than 600,000 children in developing countries die each year from rotavirus infections.

Two vaccines are licensed in Canada — RotaTeq, manufactured by Merck Frosst Canada Ltd., and GlaxoSmithKline Inc.’s Rotarix. The liquid vaccines are given by mouth in a series of doses that are started when babies are about two months old.

“We think (the vaccine) is safe, it’s effective, it’s going to prevent severe infections and it will, we believe, save the provinces money,” says Dr. Robert Bortolussi, chair of the Canadian Paediatric Society’s infectious disease and immunization committee and a professor of pediatrics at Dalhousie University in Halifax.

Efforts to bring rotavirus vaccines to the market have been shaky. The first licensed vaccine, called RotaShield, was pulled from the U.S. market in 1999, less than a year after it was approved, after it was linked with an increased risk of intussusception, where the bowel twists or slides into itself, causing potentially life-threatening intestinal blockage.

The pediatric society says that large trials involving tens of thousands of patients, as well as post-marketing surveillance based on millions of distributed doses have shown no increased risk of intussusception with the current vaccines.

But the call for widespread vaccination comes amid concern about the growing list of routine childhood immunizations. Two decades ago, children received about five shots before their second birthday. Today, they receive as many as 20 before they turn two.

“We are concerned that yet another vaccine is being added to the already crowded vaccine schedule imposed on Canadian babies today,” the British Columbia-based Vaccination Risk Awareness Network said in a statement emailed to Postmedia News.

“Of particular concern is that the two genetically engineered rotavirus vaccines approved for use in Canada may still be contaminated with DNA from pig viruses, announced by the FDA in May.”

Pieces of DNA from porcine circovirus (PCV) have been detected in the vaccines. Porcine circovirus DNA can be a contaminant of an enzyme obtained from pig pancreas. The enzyme is used during some manufacturing steps to produce the vaccines.

But Health Canada and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration say that the pig viruses are not known to cause illness in humans and that there is no evidence they pose a safety risk.

According to information for parents posted on Health Canada’s website, “The benefits of the vaccines for infants are substantial.”

Rotavirus infections can cause profound dehydration. “That is what makes this potentially a quite dangerous condition,” says Dr. Robin Walker, a past president of the Canadian Paediatric Society and vice-chair of the board of the Canadian Institute of Child Health.

Severe dehydration leads to too little water and a “derangement” of the body’s electrolytes that can affect virtually every body system, he says.

“We worry particularly, though, about the impact on the brain. The derangement in water and salt can lead to seizures and, in extreme cases, even death.”

“Rotavirus is a major public health issue,” Walker said, but many parents are unaware of it. When his group surveyed 882 Canadian mothers of young children in 2007, “more than half had never even heard of it.”

Walker said most concerns about vaccines are not founded on evidence. “Serious ill effects from vaccine are absolutely incredibly rare and the rotavirus vaccine has gone through the same kind of testing as other vaccines,” he says.

“Yes, kids get a lot of immunizations, but there’s now excellent science to show that it doesn’t really matter how many immunizations you give,” Walker said.

“You can’t, at least in terms of current numbers of immunizations, give too many. There’s no evidence whatsoever that giving immunizations together, or giving more immunizations is in the slightest bit harmful.”

The natural virus is spread easily from person-to-person, and from contaminated hands, toys and other objects. Outbreaks usually occur between February and May in Canada. About one in 150 children will be hospitalized with rotavirus before their fifth birthday.

Symptoms of rotavirus include watery diarrhea, vomiting and fever. Signs that an infected baby is becoming dehydrated include dry skin, low urine output, sunken eyes, and no tears when the baby cries, dry mouth, a faster heart rate and listlessness.

Bortolussi said that none of the members of the committee advocating rotavirus vaccination for all infants have a financial interest in either of the two companies involved in making the vaccines.

The vaccines are widely used in the U.S., where state immunization programs cover them. In the U.S., “There’s been a very drastic reduction in the number of infants who need to be hospitalized because of rotavirus diarrhea,” says Bortolussi.

© Copyright (c) Postmedia News

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(5)    ROTAVIRUS VACCINE – WHAT’A A PARENT TO DO?

http://www.vancouverobserver.com/blogs/homeopath/2010/10/04/rotavirus-vaccine-%E2%80%93-what%E2%80%99s-parent-do

Rotavirus Vaccine – What’s a Parent To Do? 

Pediatricians Want Kids to Get Rotavirus Vaccine” were headlines in The Vancouver Sun this week and it was an interesting read, particularly in the wake of the huge recall of Glaxo-Smith-Kline’s rotavirus vaccine Rotarix last year in the US, when it was discovered to have been contaminated with a pig virus – discovered only after the vaccine had been injected into over one million children in the US alone.  While officials quickly reassured the public that this virus is benign in humans, such reassurances are not backed by any concrete evidence – there are no scientific studies showing what happens when this virus is injected and resides in a human body over the course of a lifetime.

Rotavirus, which as the article states is barely a household word, causes diarrhea and vomiting and is highly contagious.  The danger comes from dehydration, which in small children can occur fast and if not rectified, be life-threatening.  Third-world children living in poverty with poor sanitation are most at risk, however even in North America apparently death by Rotavirus dehydration causes between 20 – 60 deaths annually.  So the idea is that by vaccinating children against this common but usually undiagnosed illness, those deaths due to Rotaviral dehydration won’t occur.  But since viruses easily mutate, the chances of a child catching a mutated rotavirus or some other virus causing diarrhea and vomiting is pretty much guaranteed – meaning parents still need to know how to prevent their child from becoming dehydrated and support their healthy recovery.

For those parents who feel nervous injecting yet another pharmaceutical cocktail into their young child’s body, another option is to promote the health and development of their fledgling immune system through old-fashioned ideas such as good nutrition and a healthy lifestyle as well as educate themselves in natural therapies to use when their children do become ill.  My three children have all come down with bouts of diarrhea/vomiting at various times but by treating them with a combination of homeopathic remedies and common sense (some of which came from my doctor on the rare occasions I needed to consult with her/him), again and again I was amazed by the miracle of homeopathy as their bodies responded quickly and positively.

Homeopathic remedies are a fantastic resource for a parent, especially in the middle of the night when your child wakes up vomiting or feverish.  With a small selection of remedies commonly needed in acute illnesses, a book to help you in differentiating the remedies, and a basic understanding of how to match remedies to the sick person, it’s not unusual to ease the illness immediately and have everyone sleep through to morning.  The wonderful thing about homeopathic remedies is that unlike drugs such as Tylenol which actually suppress the immune system’s functioning, they work to immediately stimulate the sick person’s healing processes.  The experience of illness can then serve to actually make a child healthier overall – and therefore less susceptible to getting sick again, eliminating the cycle of antibiotics so many children end up on, particularly during the winter months.

If you are interested in learning to use homeopathy to treat common illnesses, consider taking a short seminar on the subject or pick up one of the many books available on using homeopathic remedies at home.  Meeting other parents who have successfully been using homeopathy to treat their children’s illnesses without frequent trips to the walk-in clinic is another bonus of attending a seminar. As one of the most widely practiced medical systems in the world, homeopathy is once again gaining ground at a grass-roots level here in North America – despite the noisy opinions of those who are skeptical.   While our wonderful modern medicine can be necessary in severe illnesses, there are many other situations where an informed parent and homeopathy can provide all the support their child needs to overcome whatever virus is challenging their system.

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(6)    GLAXO-SMITH-KLINE’S WEBSITE, RESPONSE AFTER THEIR ROTAVIRUS VACCINE FOUND CONTAMINATED WITH A PIG VIRUS, MAY 2010

(Link no longer valid  http://www.gsk.com/media/pressreleases/2010/2010_us_pressrelease_10030.htm)

This press release is intended for business journalists and analysts/investors. Please note that this release may not have been issued in every market in which GSK operates.

FDA says Healthcare Providers can resume use of Rotarix (Rotavirus Vaccine, Live, Oral)

GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE: GSK) announced that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has determined that U.S. healthcare practitioners can resume the use of Rotarix® (Rotavirus Vaccine, Live, Oral), effective immediately. This action supersedes theFDA’s recommendation from March 22, 2010 and reflects the agency’s assessment that the presence of porcine circovirus type 1 (PCV-1) in the vaccine poses no safety risk.

The FDA stated that the benefits of rotavirus vaccination are substantial, and include prevention of death in some parts of the world and hospitalization for severe rotavirus disease in the United States. The FDA further concluded that these benefits outweigh the risk, which is theoretical.

Barbara Howe, MD, Vice President, Director, North American Vaccine Development, GlaxoSmithKline stated: “We appreciate the swift and thorough review conducted by both the FDA and an expert advisory committee into the recent findings related to PCV-1 and the benefit/risk profile of Rotarix. We will continue to work with the FDA and other regulatory authorities on next steps as we maintain our commitment to helping protect infants from rotavirus disease in the U.S. and around the world.”

Notes to Editors 

About PCV-1
Porcine circovirus 1 (PCV-1) is a small circular virus composed of a single strand of DNA. According to scientific literature, PCV-1 is a common virus that has been found in pork products. This is consistent with the body of literature that has not shown any evidence of PCV-1 infection in humans, or any other animals, including pigs. 

About Rotarix®
Rotarix is a two-dose, orally-administered vaccine that offers protection against rotavirus to infants and children. More than 69 million doses of the vaccine have been distributed globally, with 2.5 million in the United States.

In the U.S., Rotarix is indicated for the prevention of rotavirus gastroenteritis caused by G1 and non-G1 types (G3, G4, and G9). It is approved for use in infants 6 weeks to 24 weeks of age.

The safety profile of Rotarix is based on extensive clinical data from the largest vaccine clinical trial program conducted by GSK, enrolling more than 90,000 participants in Europe, Latin America, Asia, Africa, and the U.S.

Important Safety Information Based on the Rotarix U.S. Prescribing Information

In clinical studies, common adverse events were fussiness/irritability, cough/runny nose, fever, loss of appetite, and vomiting.

Contraindications include a history of any of the following: Hypersensitivity to any component of the vaccine including latex rubber (contained in the oral applicator), uncorrected congenital malformation of the gastrointestinal tract, or Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Disease (SCID).

Administration in infants suffering from acute diarrhea or vomiting should be delayed.

Safety and effectiveness in infants with chronic gastrointestinal disorders, or with known primary or secondary immunodeficiencies, have not been evaluated.

Vaccination may not provide 100% protection to all recipients.
About Rotavirus
Rotavirus is the leading cause of severe gastroenteritis among children below five years of age and a major disease burden in developing countries.It is estimated that more than half a million children die of rotavirus gastroenteritis each year, a child a minute worldwide. Of these deaths, 90% occur in Asia and Africa. More than 100,000 deaths each year occur in India and sub-Saharan Africa and 35,000 in China. It is predicted that rotavirus vaccination could prevent more than 2 million rotavirus deaths globally over the next decade.

Globally, 25% to 55% of all children under the age of five hospitalized with diarrhoea or acute gastroenteritis are infected with rotavirus.

Before rotavirus vaccination was introduced in the U.S, each year an estimated 2.7 million children younger than five years of age experienced rotavirus disease, resulting in hundreds of thousands of emergency room visits and more than 55,000 hospitalisations. 

GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals
GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals (GSK Biologicals), GlaxoSmithKline’s vaccines business, is one of the world’s leading vaccine companies and a leader in innovation. The company is active in the fields of vaccine research, development and production with over 30 vaccines approved for marketing and 20 more in development. For further information please visit www.gsk.com

GlaxoSmithKline – one of the world’s leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies – is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer.  For further information please visit www.gsk.com

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(7)    FIGURES ON THE RISE IN AUTISM AND LEARNING DISABILITIES, U.S.A. –  MERCURY POISONING

Item #7  is further to:

Sept 27:  Addition to:  Medical Orthodoxy, mercury in dental amalgams and in vaccinations (thimerosal)

Sept 21:  Medical Orthodoxy:  mercury in dental amalgams.  Documentation.

What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Children’s Vaccinations

Revised and Updated 2010

Published by Wellness Central

Author:  Stephanie Cave, M.D., F.A.A.F.P.

From the acknowledgements

“ . . sincere gratitude to Barbara Loe Fisher for her help in obtaining information  . . . and to Dr. Bernard Rimland, now deceased, who started the quest for safer vaccines when he realized the possible connection for autistic children.

Finally, to Congressman Dan Burton, who has worked tirelessly to make vaccines safer for all children, I extend the gratitude of many parents and professionals

EXCERPT from Cave:

http://www.whale.to/vaccine/cave_h.html

“  The incidence of autism is rising dramatically. In the fifties, it was 1/10000; 1/2000 in the seventies; 1/500 in 1996; 1/250 in 2000; 1/147 in 2001 according to the noted epidemiologist, Dr. Eric Fombonne. Is this rise in incidence because we have better diagnostic techniques? Are we better doctors now? I believe that if a child could not speak, had no eye contact, mutilated himself, and did not sleep but a couple of hours per night he certainly would have been given some kind of a diagnosis.

Nationwide statistics in US school children for the school years 97-98 vs. 98-99 in children ages 6 to 21 show a 2.6% increase in all disabilities, 2.3% increase in specific learning disabilities, 1% increase in speech impairments, 1.9% increase in severe emotional disturbance, and a 26% increase in autism. Autism is now the number one disability entering California’s developmental services system. Historically, autism accounted for 3% of the intakes into the system. Autism now accounts for 37% of the new intakes. From April 3 to July 8, 2001, 664 new children with autism were added to the system. This is the largest number of autistic children added to the system in the 32 year history of the group. At this rate, California will add 2700 new children with autism to it’s system in 2001 alone. This is more than all of the new cases entering the system in all of 1994, 1995, and 1996 combined.  “

Stephanie Cave

http://www.whale.to/vaccine/cave_h.html

“ . .   We also did a study on amalgam fillings (49.6 percent mercury) in mothers and found that the mothers of autistic children have significantly more of these fillings than the mothers of normal children. That’s another intrauterine source. Yet another in-utero exposure comes from the flu vaccine, currently recommended for all pregnant women past 14 weeks gestation.  “ 

Barbara Loe Fisher

http://vaccineawakening.blogspot.com/

Dr. Bernard_Rimland

http://www.whale.to/v/rimland.html

Congressman Dan Burton

http://www.autismcoach.com/Congressman%20Burton%20on%20Autism.htm