Canadian Perspectives Winter 2005

There’s a great proverb that says: "one generation plants the trees; another gets the shade." It was with this sentiment in mind that I decided to leave The Council of Canadians a bequest in my will.

The decision to make a legacy gift such as this can be very personal, but I’m sharing mine with you because I want people to know how proud I am to be connected to this organization, and how strongly I support the Council’s vision of a Canada where we all have a say in the kind of air we breathe, food we eat and water we drink.

My bequest will help ensure this organization’s continued fight to keep Canada a democratic and compassionate society for future generations. And I am asking you to consider following my lead.

For 20 years we have fought to preserve the Canada we know and love through challenging government policy and corporate power, and giving people a voice on key national issues. Thanks to generous and concerned individuals like you, together we’ve won many important victories through the years for democracy, justice and the public good. This includes the following:

1997 - collecting a half-million signatures, which helped defeat legislation that threatened our public pensions and seniors’ retirement income;

1998 - defeating the Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI), which would have given corporations the power to set their own rules and regulate what countries - including Canada - can do with their own economies;

1999 - blocking the introduction of Bovine Growth Hormone (BGH) into Canada, which boosts milk production in cows but may be linked to cancer in humans;

2000 - rallying to help defeat the "Voluntary Water Accord," which would have opened the door to bulk water exports and triggered NAFTA requirements;

2001 - successfully lobbying Vancouver’s municipal politicians to cancel their plans to privatize the city’s water filtration plant;

2002 - mobilizing to win the support of the Romanow Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada, which rejected private, for-profit health care;

2003 - derailing the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Ministerial meeting in Cancun and the World Water Forum in Kyoto, and attracting media attention and exposing the awful effects of the corporate agenda in developing countries and local communities;

2004 - leading a consumer campaign that culminated in chemical giant Monsanto abandoning its application to develop genetically engineered (GE) wheat.

I believe that in the years ahead the Council will continue achieving similar important victories. However, it’s up to us to help make that possible. It’s the financial support from individuals like you and me that allows this meaningful work to be undertaken. And legacy giving, such as a bequest, is a vital component of our fundraising efforts.

I would not ask of anyone something that I was not prepared to do myself. That’s why, as National Chairperson, I decided to lead by example.

Everyone has different motivations for making a legacy gift. Personally, I wanted to do something good with what I’ve acquired in my lifetime, and take comfort knowing the Council will use my bequest to help keep Canada a caring and compassionate society for my children and their children. After all, this is an organization that shares my values and will be around a lot longer than I will.

I invite you to consider making a legacy gift of your own to the Council. Together we can ensure our country will always include The Council of Canadians - a voice for the people!

The Council of Canadians has incorporated valuable feedback from our members to produce new brochures for our planned giving program. These brochures are designed to be informative, straightforward, and helpful to you when considering a legacy gift, such as a bequest.

To request your free copy of the Council’s new planned giving brochure please contact Jamian Logue, Major Gifts and Planned Giving Officer, at 1(800)387-7177 ext. 224, or jlogue(at)canadians.org.

Maude Barlow is the National Chairperson of the Council of Canadians.

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