By Staff
April 19th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
On January 16, 2023, Premier Doug Ford announced the first phases in his plan to privatize our public hospitals. His government is opening three new private for-profit clinics, expanding other for-profit clinics and shunting tens of millions in public funding to private clinics and hospitals.
Photo by William Mewes from Oakville Ontario, Canada
The premier said that 50% of the surgeries done in our public hospitals could be cut and privatized.
The Halton Ontario Health Coalition says “There is no question: the Ford government is planning to privatize the vital surgical and diagnostic services from our public community hospitals , unless Ontarians stop them.
They have been very active and plan to hold a Referendum Campaign in the coming weeks.
You might want to log into their web site if the changes taking place in health care matter to you.
Excerpts from their most recent media notice.
This is a reminder that our next meeting is tomorrow evening (Wednesday, April 19) at 7:00 pm.
This will be our permanent Wednesday 7:00 pm link for the duration of the Referendum Campaign so bookmark or save this link. (Though we’ll send it out each week!)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84339852955?pwd=elo2c0pnQmFRaHZKVmQzR0lYZkZMQT09
Meeting ID: 843 3985 2955
Passcode: 356417
Our agenda:
– Updates; Helen
– Organizing for polling stations and flyer distribution; Susan
– Social Media; Doreen/Trudi
Trudi has organized and created this very easy-to-use site to access all the referendum materials.
And, if you haven’t done so already, could you please fill out the volunteer survey in the above link?
Thank you all for your efforts to preserve our public health care system and see you tomorrow evening.
The Halton Health Coalition Team
Minutes: April 12
OHC and Halton HC Updates: Helen
- the OHC QR code that’s on the flyers is now working and attached to the website https://publichospitalvote.ca/ there is still more work to be done by OHC on their website
- Helen and Trudie will participate in the area leads meeting on Friday.
- The signs are still in development; it is hoped that an illustration will be available very soon.
Polling Stations:
- Helen – please focus on trying to secure polling locations once someone/a business, church, legion, condo etc has signed up please share that information with Judy (JudyRWorks@gmail.com) the information will also be shared with OHC so they can add it to their map so people can find our polling locations.
- Unifor Local 707 has agreed to host a workplace campaign and will allow Judy to set up a voting station at a couple of events they will be hosting over the next few weeks. The goal is to get over 500 votes. The option to host a public polling location on May 26 & 27 is still being explored as there could be a scheduling conflict.
- The Halton Local of The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) is considering a workplace campaign that could be hosted out of their office at Appleby & the QEW. They represent approximately 3200 area educators.
- We discussed ideas for polling stations including parks, independent businesses
- Shiam will reach out to her mosque
- Hayley will reach out to a high school contact, and a Sheridan contact
There focus is on everything wrong with Ontario’s health care privatization law as a result of Bill 60.
