(November 5, 2025) By: Staff, Sudbury.com<\/p>\n
The Nickel Belt MPP and NDP health critic brought 150 people to Queen\u2019s Park on Oct. 29, all of whom had received a bill from a private clinic, something that is supposed to be illegal under the Canada Health Act, G\u00e9linas says<\/em><\/p>\n Ontario’s official health care critic and Nickel Belt MPP France G\u00e9linas stood in the legislature to push the government for answers on why Ontario is allowing private for-profit health clinics to carry on business in the province.<\/p>\n In the legislature on Oct. 29, G\u00e9linas pointed to the public gallery where roughly 150 people were seated and watching the debate.<\/p>\n “Does the Minister of Health want to know what all the good people in the visitors\u2019 gallery have in common? Well, let me tell you: They have all been charged for OHIP-funded services by a private, for-profit clinic, something that is illegal under the Canada Health Act.”<\/p>\n G\u00e9linas said 50 of the visitors had sent a package to the health ministry this past June, asking the ministry to investigate incidents of illegal billing for medical services. G\u00e9linas asked why those incidents had not been investigated and why the ministry had not responded to the complaints.<\/p>\n Health Minister Sylvia Jones responded there is a process under the Patient Ombudsman where investigations take place through a separate process and apart from political interference.<\/p>\n “I would encourage everyone who believes that they need to have a question answered to reach out to the Patient Ombudsman,” said Jones.<\/p>\n In a follow-up question G\u00e9linas pushed harder.<\/p>\n “Speaker, when the government announced that they were funding private for-profit clinics, both the premier and the minister of health said, \u2018You will always pay with your OHIP card, never with your credit card.\u2019 That promise fell apart. There are 150 people here in the gallery with receipts to prove it. Will the Premier and the minister refund the money that these patients had to pay to private, for-profit clinics for OHIP-covered services?”<\/p>\n Responding to G\u00e9linas, Jones defended the new clinics and said she gets many messages from Ontario residents thanking the government for providing expanded medical services.<\/p>\n “I was hearing from grandparents who were saying, \u2018Finally, I can read to my grandchild again. I can volunteer in my community. I can drive my car again.\u2019 Why?\u201d Jones said. \u201cBecause we made that investment, and as a result of that investment, we have ensured that people are not just languishing on wait-lists; they are actually getting the services that they deserve.\u201d<\/p>\n