(December 3, 2024) By: Emily Stonehouse, The Haliburton County Echo<\/p>\n
\u201cA poison gift.\u201d<\/p>\n
That\u2019s the phrase used by Michael Hurley, the president of the Ontario Council of Hospital Unions (OCHU), in reference to the infamous Trojan Horse. \u201cIt\u2019s an excellent metaphor for the privatization of healthcare in our province,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
According to the myths of Ancient Greece, the large wooden horse was said to have been used by the Greeks to enter the city of Troy during the Trojan Wars. The horse was presented as a gift to the city, but in reality, was filled with soldiers who tricked their way into gaining territory.<\/p>\n
The symbol is largely used today as a means of deceit, and applied to the healthcare system to represent the false claim that privatizing certain aspects of medical care will reduce wait times in public hospitals. \u201cIt\u2019s useful because it does attract a fair amount of attention,\u201d said Hurley, referencing the large fibreglass horse perched behind him, which was parked in Head Lake Park on Nov. 28 as a part of a tour across Ontario.<\/p>\n
This version of the Trojan Horse has been around for over 20 years, representing as a tangible symbol for trickery within political realms. Currently, it is on a tour to 55 other stops across the province, in an effort to raise awareness around Premier Doug Ford\u2019s intentions of privatizing healthcare.<\/p>\n
Organized by the Ontario Health Coalition and the Ontario Council of Hospital Unions through the Canadian Union of Public Employees (OCHU-CUPE), the horse and its team made stops in both Haliburton and Minden, to speak with concerned citizens and the realities of what privatizing healthcare would mean for the communities.<\/p>\n
One of the guest speakers for the local events was Chris Glover, the MPP for Spadina-Fort York, and representative for the NDP. Glover had previously visited Minden shortly after the closure of the Minden Emergency Room, and was adamant that the hospital closures are a direct result of Ford\u2019s tactics to privatize the healthcare for Ontario residents.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur system is deliberately being broken,\u201d he said to a crowd of over 30 who came to view the large horse, and everything it represents. \u201cThis (current) government is on a campaign to privatize healthcare. We have to fight to support our public healthcare system.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bonnie Roe, a representative for the Haliburton Highlands Long Term Care Coalition and Aging Together as Community, echoed Glover\u2019s sentiments, and strongly encouraged all attendees to vote mindfully during the next election. \u201cThe blame lies at the foot of the Ford Government,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n