Focus on the precious children -- our future
Vancouver Sun
July 21, 2007
Letter By: Robert Armstrong, MD, Chief, Pediatric Medicine, B.C. Children's Hospital

Re: Olde Victoria a bit confused about what image it wants, Vaughn Palmer, July 19

Vaughn Palmer states that "Victoria represents the whole country's future in demographic terms" and goes on to humorously describe our aging population. Perhaps another column could focus on the real future of our country -- the increasingly precious and increasingly forgotten children and youth. It is true that children and youth from birth to 14 years are 146,000 fewer than in 2001 and have dropped to only 17.7 per cent of the population. However, while they may be fewer in number and less visible, they are all of our future and deserve our focused attention.