(June 1, 2017)<\/p>\n
By: Valerie MacDonald, Northumberland Today<\/p>\n
A campaign travelling through Northumberland to warn of the potential privatization of health care comes to Cobourg June 6 at the corner of Elgin and Strathy Road, near Northumberland Mall.<\/p>\n
The Ontario Health Coalition (of which Northumberland is a member) and the Hamilton Health Coalition are touring a giant teddy bear through 20 towns under the slogan, \u201cWe can’t bear to lose Medicare.\u201d<\/p>\n
In addition to coalition members, patients and residents, health-care providers and others are asked to attend the 7 p.m. rally, according to Northumberland Health Coalition co-chair Linda MacKenzie Nicholas.<\/p>\n
\u201cCanada\u2019s public health-care system is under threat by private profit-seeking clinics that want to take services out of our local public hospitals,\u201d Ontario Health Coalition executive director Natalie Mehra said in a press release.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese private clinics bill OHIP for tests and surgeries and bill patients hundreds or even thousands of dollars as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cUser fees for medically-needed hospital and physician care are unlawful under the Canada Health Act, which requires that health care be publicly funded and equitable for all Canadians.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are drawing attention to this, explaining to patients their rights, and pushing back against the takeover of non-profit and public hospitals by private for-profit corporations.\u201d<\/p>\n
Discussion will take place at the rally, and leaflets will be handed out.<\/p>\n