(October 22, 2015)<\/p>\n
By Jennifer Hamilton – McCharles, The North bay Nugget<\/p>\n
The North Bay and area community will have an opportunity to speak out against hospital cuts at the North Bay Regional Health Centre.<\/p>\n
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) is organizing a public rally for noon Nov. 30 at Lee Park.<\/p>\n
Natalie Mehra, executive director of the Ontario Health Coalition, said the public is concerned about cuts at the North Bay Regional Health Centre, where 158 full-time equivalent jobs are being eliminated.<\/p>\n
Mehra said the recent cuts are among the worst the union has seen in Ontario.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis routine of unstable funding and continuous cuts has to be stopped,\u201d she said during Thursday’s teleconference town hall in which more than 4,300 people participated.<\/p>\n
Mehra said the rally will show hospital executives and politicians at Queen’s Park the community’s strength and commitment to public health care.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to make ourselves visible and our voices heard. We have got to put pressure on the provincial government. We need more hospital beds and more staff,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese cuts have gone too far.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mehra said CUPE has won similar battles.<\/p>\n
For example, she said 60 beds were returned to a Windsor hospital.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe North Bay Regional Health Centre is doing what it can get away with,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe can win this, but we’re going to have to raise our voices.\u201d<\/p>\n
CUPE said it will announce details of the rally next month.<\/p>\n