A Victory for Democracy ... and Africa

They said it would be a close one and it was. It was a vote full of surprises, with little downside.  When it was all done, I came out of the House with a sense of excitement that I had just witnessed democracy in action.The vote called for this evening was on Bill C-393, a piece of legislation calling for better legislation to get cheaper drugs to Africa, especially for those suffering through HIV/AIDS. The door had been opened when Jean Chretien was in power and committed Canada to finding a better way to get cheaper drugs to the troubled continent. Paul Martin's government eventually passed that initial legislation, with support from all parties. But from the outset it stumbled, faltered, and then failed. In a span of almost five years, only one shipment of drugs was to sent to Africa (Rwanda), and the experience left a bitter taste in the mouths of everyone involved in the exercise.But NDP MP JudyWasylwcia-Leis refused to give up on it, eventually tabling Bill C-393 for Parliamentary approval. She was hardly alone. Groups ranging from the committed Grandmothers For Africa group to numerous NGOs and VIPs flooded the Hill to press MPs to get behind the initiative. It was a tough sell in many ways because there was still no proof the effort would came to any favourable conclusion. Yet still Wasyclwcia-Leis pressed on, along with her partners.Let me say right here that I opposed the bill, feeling that it violated intellectual property rights and also would raise African expectations that could eventually be dashed, as had happened with the effort five years earlier. I had seen too many disappointed Africans in my life and so I worked with others from various disciplines to design a method that would see CIDA assisting in acquiring the cheap generic drugs already shipped to Africa from China and India.And so, the voting lines were drawn. Judy and I spoke last week and I informed her I just couldn't support the initiative. Nevertheless, I promised her that I would support her and all her partners by working with them to find an alternate system of drug delivery should her initiative fail. Tonight, just prior to the vote, I wished her well and could sense her nervousness.The actual vote itself was for more interesting than many expected. Although I spoke to Liberal colleagues concerning why I couldn't support the bill, I reminded them that Judy was putting forward a sincere proposal and that I in no way would influence them on how to vote on the issue. Even still, I was surprised tonight when the vast majority of Liberals supported her effort.But what was the most intriguing was how Conservatives broke ranks, with many supporting C-393. This was rare. Usually, the government votes as a pack - often a source of amusement to the other parties. Yet tonight a number of Conservatives voted with their conscience, or to appease their constituents, and by the time it was over, C-393 passed by a vote of 143-127. There was good humour all around, and when the final vote was tallied, my joy for Judy herself was complete.This had been an exercise is straight grassroots democracy. Grandmothers came to Ottawa from all over the country and were highly persuasive. Judy wouldn't give up, even when it looked for a time like the vote would be lost. My Liberal colleagues were a main component for pushing her bill over the top.How do I feel about losing a vote I couldn't support. Great, actually. Whether or not this bill is effective and can gain enough support in committee, the vote tonight was actually about Africa, not any party or group. I voted against it, along with others, for the same reason the majority voted for it: to give the continent of Africa a fighting chance against disease. To Judy, you're awesome and have my highest respect. At at time when very little of any good escapes the House of Commons, an entire chamber voted its conscience and in the end Africa won. I lost, but my hopes for Parliament and Africa prevailed. We now stand ready to help a faithful NDP Member of Parliament take it to the next level.