(May 30, 2023)<\/p>\n
By: Alex Flood, Soo Today<\/p>\n
‘It\u2019s not even a debate about what\u2019s in the best interest of the public,’ says local spokesperson for Ontario Health Coalition, which organized citizen-run ‘referendum’<\/p>\n
The local and provincial results from the Ontario Health Coalition\u2019s citizen-run referendum on healthcare privatization were announced on Tuesday during a gathering in front of MPP Ross Romano\u2019s office.<\/p>\n
Strongly opposed to Bill 60, the OHC asked Ontarians to cast a ballot last week in favour of maintaining a single-tier publicly funded healthcare system.<\/p>\n
The province, meanwhile, says the legislation will allow private clinics to perform procedures such as knee replacements, hip replacements and cataract surgery to cut long wait lists for care.<\/p>\n
The question on the ballot was: “Do you want our public hospital services to be privatized to for-profit hospitals and clinics?”<\/p>\n
Out of the 5,886 ballots cast in the Algoma district, only 72 people voted yes.<\/p>\n
Across Ontario, 6,424 out of 382,647 voters wished to see hospital services privatized to for-profit clinics, or 1.67 per cent of the poll, according to the OHC.<\/p>\n
The “referendum”\u00a0results will not be binding on the Ontario government, but OHC officials are still pleased with the turnout.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo say it\u2019s a resounding \u2018no\u2019 is an understatement,\u201d said Al Dupuis, Blind River-based Ontario Health Coalition spokesperson for the Algoma District. \u201cThis is a serious threat to our single-tier, public healthcare system, which there is no reason why we can\u2019t have.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have hospital emergency rooms closing, and they\u2019re not putting enough funding forward to getting staffing levels up to where they need to be.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dupuis says that he\u2019s heard from many concerned and upset residents on opposite ends of the political spectrum, and notes the situation stretches far beyond politics.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is not about parties right now,\u201d he says. \u201cIf Ford turns around and scraps Bill 60 and starts to fund our hospitals properly, then the Ontario Health Coalition would be the first organization to praise his decision \u2013 we will do that, on my word.\u201d<\/p>\n
Also in attendance at Tuesday\u2019s gathering included Sault District Labour Council vice-president Neal Moss, who fears that the healthcare system in Ontario and parts of Canada are on track to mirroring our neighbours to the south.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn 20 or 30 years, we\u2019ll be the American healthcare system,\u201d he says. \u201cThis is Canadian identity that\u2019s being attacked. They have seriously underfunded hospitals for years. We have to look after those who can\u2019t afford to look after themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not even a debate about what\u2019s in the best interest of the public,\u201d Dupuis adds. \u201cThis vote is pretty significant, and we\u2019re really just getting started.\u201d<\/p>\n