I subscribe to our daily newspaper, The Mercury. Yesterday's edition included a loose leaf advertisement for Bell Sympatico DSL Basic Service. The caption read, PROTECT YOUR FAMILY. Then offered the following statement. "You'll do anything to protect your kids from inappropriate content. So will we."

So far so good. I know how much pornography fills my in box on a daily basis despite the filters that I have in place. Unfortunately, Bell didn't stop there. Bell added a photograph. And don't we all know that a picture speaks a thousand words.

The photo shows the top of a elementary school desk. On the desk is a pencil and an open text book. According to my friend Katie, a grade five teacher, it is exactly like the textbook she uses to teach health science to her class of 35 students.

The text is open to a page titled "The Female Body". This alone infuriated me. Imagine suggesting that our children should be protected for a grade five text book and specifically from learning about the female body.

But it gets worse.

The Female Body page shows a full frontal drawing of a female body with bones, internal organs and veins visible through the skin. Around that figure are smaller boxes that have featured body parts. The brain, kidney, liver, heart, ovaries and what may be the fallopian tubes. But here's the outrageous part. Someone at the advertising department cut out the image of what appears to be the fallopian tube along with the ovaries. They chopped out the female bodies breasts and pelvic area too.

So here's the message I get from this Bell ad. Our children need to be protected from learning about the sexual organs of the female body in an educational setting and context.

Ignorance is not healthy.

I have already registered an official complaint with Bell's Executive office. I have requested immediate withdrawal of the ad and a public apology in the newspapers that it appeared in. It took me some time to get to the right department, so I'll save you the time by giving you the toll free number if you want to add your voice. 1 866 317-3382.

Additional postings of Bell's Sympatico Ad for your reference: February 21 and February 23.

SR