(September 26 2023)<\/p>\n
By: Eric Thompson,\u00a0CKNXNewsToday.ca<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Demonstrators gather in front of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario on September 25. (Photo courtesy of Ontario Health Coalition\/Twitter)<\/i><\/p>\n
Thousands of protestors, including a local contingent, gathered at Queens Park on Monday to oppose privatization of the province’s healthcare system.<\/p>\n
The Grey Bruce Health Coalition brought a busload of around 50 residents to join in the demonstration and share their stories of unprecedented emergency room closures in the area.<\/p>\n
Locals\u00a0echoed sentiments expressed by three area mayors last week, calling for provincial support to address chronic staffing shortages that have resulted in consistently closed ERs in Chesley, Durham, and Walkerton.<\/p>\n
Brenda Scott, co-chair of the coalition, said provincial representatives definitely heard their message.<\/p>\n
“They came out after their session in the legislature and (Ontario NDP leader) Marit Stiles said while they were inside, apparently our crowd was a little bit loud and they could hear us outside,” she said. “I thought, ‘hey that’s cool.’ Just a little reminder of whose paying attention.”<\/p>\n
Last week, mayors of Arran-Elderslie, Brockton and\u00a0West Grey called on the Minister of Health to meet with their municipalities to collaboratively address the ER closures.<\/p>\n
Scott says it was nice having the opportunity to bring the demand to the Ontario governments doorstep.<\/p>\n
“Personally I think the fact that we got to call attention to our situation here on that stage, to the people that were there plus the media that were covering it, that’s really encouraging, because something has to happen here,” she said.<\/p>\n
Scott thanked everyone who was able to join as well as bus captains Hazel\u00a0Pratt and David Roach.<\/p>\n