One of our steering committee members has said many a time that very often a society becomes the focus of attention rather than the cause for which it was formed to fight in the first place. Reading through the budget summary we are of the opinion that this is what has happened to the Hepatitis C Society of Canada.

$142,385 for Core expenses?--(i.e., salaries and administration). And what has this $142K produced? A closed compensation deal? Research monies? A Cure? Treatment assistance for those driven bankrupt by HCV? Home care assistance for those not only poisoned by the government, but also abandoned? Effective national awareness and education campaigns? Obviously this amount was enough to cover the $8,702 and $19,081 additionally spent for Advocacy(?) and the Compensation Working Group, especially since the majority of transfused persons have been left out of the Compensation Deal!

$25,861 for AGM/Conferences Where did they meet and stay, the Chateau Laurier? Then another $18,309 for Board Meetings! Think of all the work other chapters have done without a priddy penny from Toronto! This bulletin, FAQ documents, computer equipment, pamphlets (that actually tell you something)—none of us could even imagine what we could do with all this money, when we do all we do on a shoestring.

And perhaps, in our opinion, the most outlandish expense of all is the $60,036 for Chapter Development. Why was it necessary to spend this kind of money? Local chapters were and are quite capable of assisting nearby areas to set up chapters at virtually no cost. There was no need for anyone to come out from Toronto and treat us in a condescending way as if we were a bunch of kindergarten kids with no experience.

Meanwhile local chapters struggle for every penny they can raise, their members volunteer their time, we stay with other members and car pool to cut down on expenses. No grandiose hotels for our meetings, we find the cheapest place that fits our needs.

It seems to us that the society has its priorities mixed here, and the spending of thousands of dollars which could be more usefully used in other areas says more about the situation than a thousand words from us.

We are of the opinion that there should be more input from the members, on all counts, especially at the national committee level, where decisions are made behind closed doors about courses to pursue with respect to education, chapter funding, salaries and political action, without input from, or majority control by the average member. For instance: the Board is not pursuing a position wherein they are trying to identify other time periods when the Government of Canada, provincial governments or indeed any other actors in the blood system were negligent. What right had the board to accept these conditions, without consulting with those directly affected, namely those outside the so-called 1986-90 "window of opportunity?"

This is your society, so we thought you should know what is going on.

The Steering Committee

HeCSC Victoria