They fight the good fight - on your behalf

By Gazette Staff

January 5th, 2025

BURLINGTON, ON

The Ontario Health Coalition has been fighting the privatization of public health for at least the last five years.

Month after month they are in communities, asking people to take part in what they are trying to do – keep the private medical interests out of public health.  Several hundred communities across the province have created local chapters of people that make their case at the grassroots level – Burlington is not one of them.  The OHC – Ontario Health Coalition couldn’t find anyone to take up the cause.

The Ontario Health Care Coalition has been protesting changes in the public heath care system. Support them.

Later in January there will be two Health Action Assemblies

Saturday January 24  10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Sunday January 25     9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Central YMCA, 20 Grosvenor Street, Toronto

You can come in person or join by Zoom. Everyone must register to attend.

Hear what they have to say:

This is our most important meeting of the year.

• Hear local coalitions from all over the province report in on the fightback.
• Learn what the Ford and Carney governments have planned.
• Get updates about the existential threat to Public Medicare across Canada by the Danielle Smith government in Alberta.
• Join in Q & A with Health Critics (shadow ministers) from the NDP and Liberal Parties of Ontario, and the Leader of the Green Party.
• Discuss & debate our action plan to safeguard & improve our public health care for all.
• KEYNOTE SPEAKER Saturday, January 24: Linda McQuaig, a renowned author, journalist, and social critic. Her new book Cancelling Billionaires (Before They Cancel Us) is being launched just three days before the Assembly.
• KEYNOTE SPEAKER Sunday, January 25: John Lister, U.K. professor emeritus and author of a new book Wealth Vs. Health: Trump’s Global War on Health and Science.
• ALSO FEATURING: Health Critics/Leader from the Opposition parties will join us for discussion and questions and answers. They include MPPs from the NDP (Wayne Gates, France Gélinas, Dr. Robin Lennox), Liberal Party (Lee Fairclough, Dr. Adil Shamji, Tyler Watt), and Green Party (Mike Schreiner).

For those attending from out of town:  Hotel room rates:

Hotel Rooms (*NEW* deadline FRI JAN 9):

To get the special rate of $179 + tax/night at the Chelsea Hotel, 33 Gerrard St. W. the NEW deadline is this Friday January 9. To book your room, please use this link: https://tinyurl.com/OHCHotel26 or call 1 (800) 243-5732 and cite the Ontario Health Coalition Room Block to receive the reduced rate. (Note: the rate is available until we sell out of rooms so pls don’t wait until the last minute.)

Registration:

• Please register to join us in-person by filling in the online form here: https://forms.gle/uspSYrGTzahzNv7cA. You can also fill in and email back the section at the bottom of this email.
• If you are joining by Zoom only, please register at this link https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/_fBmQHL4RQ-FY_E4CDB9hg only and indicate how you will be paying. You do not need to fill out any other registration form (including the online form) if registering via Zoom.

Cost ($0 – $130):

It is a sliding scale, which means folks are asked to pay what they are able. We ask that organizations that are able to, please pay the full amount so we can subsidize the cost of individuals and community groups that cannot afford to pay the full amount. Thank you for helping us to be able to make the Health Coalition accessible to more people and organizations this way.

Agenda: 

Saturday

Registration opens at 9:30 a.m.  Assembly runs 10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Keynote speaker: renowned author & journalist, Linda McQuaig

Briefing with updated information on the key issues

Updates & report-ins from across Ontario

Discussion & debate of draft action plan

Sunday

Registration opens 8:30 a.m. Assembly runs 9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Keynote speaker: U.K. professor emeritus & author of a new book on Donald Trump’s health care, John Lister

Health critics from the NDP, Liberal and Green Parties will join us for discussion, questions and answers

Discussion, debate and final vote on action plan

Presentation of our highest awards for the year

These people are your neighbours; they are fighting to keep the public health you now have at least as good as it is now (Yes, many will argue that it isn’t all that good.) but it is what we have. The goal is to keep it.