(May 13, 2016)<\/p>\n
By: Lynne Brown<\/p>\n
On Saturday, May 14th, 2016, Mill Market will be the first, and official launch location in The Sault for the Ontario Health Coalition\u2019s (OHC) Referendum on restorative funding\u00a0 to Ontario hospitals.<\/p>\n
From 9:45 to 3:00 pm, members of The Sault & Area Health Coalition will be set up in Mill Market to share information and encourage folks to vote in an advance poll. Ballots will be available and ask individuals to consider endorsing the following:<\/p>\n
\u2018Ontario\u2019s government must stop the cuts to our community hospitals and restore services, funding and staff to meet our communities\u2019 needs for care.\u2019\u00a0 Answer: Yes or No.<\/p>\n
At a Town Hall meeting, Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 25 on May 5th, 2016, OHC\u2019s Executive Director, Natalie Mehra said, \u201cThis voluntary Referendum is an opportunity to voice your concerns. \u00a0Ballot boxes, driven by \u00a0volunteers and local health coalitions will set up polling stations throughout Ontario communities.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is the type of action that a government will ignore at their peril. It\u2019s the kind of action that changes government policy. We know that the vast majority of Ontario citizens share our concerns for hospital funding \u201d said Mehra.<\/p>\n
Once collected and tabulated, the provincial Referendum ballots will be brought to the Ontario legislature on Tuesday, May 31st,2016.<\/p>\n
The OHC represents over 400 member organizations, local health coalitions, including seniors groups, unions, health professionals and more. The mandate is to protect and improve the public health care system striving for universal health care, that is public, comprehensive, accessible, and portable.<\/p>\n
Margot Dale, Chair, Sault & Area Health Coalition told saultonline, that members of the local coalition recently met with Malcolm White, City Clerk, who gave the green light for the OHC Referendum to be part of a City of Sault Ste. Marie Municipal Council meeting agenda.<\/p>\n
On Monday May 16th, City of Sault Ste. Marie Municipal Councillor \u00a0(Ward 6) Joe Krmpotich will share information about the Referendum to Council.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have worked with Joe Krmpotich in the past, and he has always been very supportive of the work of The Health Coalition.\u201d \u00a0said Margot Dale.<\/p>\n
Dale encourages people to attend Council meeting\u00a0 at City Hall on Monday, May 16th, where members of the local Health Coalition will gather to support the reading of the referendum into the official record.<\/p>\n
City of SSM Municipal Council meetings start at 4:30 pm.<\/p>\n
May 28th will be the final day for voting in the Referendum. Saultonline will share updates and polling station locations as The Sault & Area Health Coalition continues to develop location sites.<\/p>\n
On May 28th, there will be a Polling station set up at Mill Market for the provincial OHC Referendum Day.<\/p>\n