DAY 5 @ BARRIE, ONTARIO

Sorry everyone for the really really late post! Today we journeyed to Barrie, Ontario. It was my first time in Barrie and I had never even realized it was so beautiful! It is a small, picturesque town on the water. This is one aspect of the tour I've really been enjoying--just getting out there and seeing more of our province.

We started our Barrie adventure outside of a local Pharmasave, where we had set up a media event. We got there a bit early and the place was a little deserted but we pulled out our signs and labcoats and lined the street in front of the plaza nevertheless. Even though we've been chanting the same cheer for the past few days, we sure weren't getting tired of it! We yelled our lungs out with fresh enthusiasm and again, caught the attention of the local community. Cars honked and passersby stopped to ask questions. The media finally showed up. Nadeem Remtulla and I were interviewed by the Barrie Examiner. Rahim Ismail and Michelle Lui were interviewed by Barrie's A channel. (I wasn't able to find a link to the article or the TV clip online but I will post it as soon as I can). I took quite a bit of video footage on my camera--we went around interviewing pharmacists and the public about their viewpoints--check the link to my Picasa Stop Cuts Barrie Gallery to see more pictures and video.

After that, we were bussed to downtown Barrie, where we marched up from the water to Dunlop street and gathered at the corners of a busy intersection. We stood with our signs in four groups (one at each corner) to spread awareness. After about 15 minutes though, a police officer appeared and began to swear at the organizer of our group, telling him that we were blocking the intersection and that pedestrians were complaining. (even though we were vigilant of the pedestrians and completely willing to move out of their way) He then angrily told us to leave or he'd fine us each $150!!! Not wanting any trouble and by then having worked up a huge appetite, we made our way back to the bus to grab a bite to eat.

Not shaken by our brush with the authorities, we set out to canvas the streets of Barrie. Overall the responses were positive. One elderly woman argued with us through her fence that she didn't believe that generic drug pricing was fair and that pharmacists were being greedy with Professional Allowances. Although at the beginning I used to dread this kind of encounter, I am now starting to enjoy it since I am gaining confidence in articulating the issues. Anthony and I had a great discussion with her and explained the importance of the Professional Allowance money in terms of the funding gap. She finally conceded (a bit...or maybe she just wanted us to go away!) and concluded that the pharmacists and the government should engage in negotiations and leave the public out of it.

I have gotten into a little routine at each house I visit. First of all, I make sure to make eye contact and smile at the person. Next, I introduce myself personally: "Hi, I'm Zenah and I'm a pharmacy student from U of T." Then, I make sure to ask them if they have heard about the issue and if they have any questions or concerns about it. This usually allows me to gauge how much or how little information to give them, and if they are truly willing to listen to me and learn more (One lady simply said that she fully supports the government; most know very little about the topic). One man answered "I don't really know what the big deal to pharmacists is." I proceeded to tell him about the funding gap and about the different services that pharmacists currently provide for free, such as calling the doctor for refills, spending time counseling (both Rx and OTC/Vitamins), and deliveries. He then asked me what the government was doing about brand name drugs. I don't know the answer. What IS the government doing about brand name drugs? Why go after the generic companies? Isn't the root of the problem that brand name drug prices are astronomically high to begin with? I'm starting to like it when people ask me such thought provoking questions!