OPSEU/SEFPO

Thousands rallied for public health care Sept 27 in the wake of cuts to dozens of Ontario hospitals.

September 29, 2008

Despite poor weather that affected most of southern Ontario, protesters took to the streets of Toronto, Windsor, Kingston, Sudbury and Thunder Bay to speak out against hospital cuts, destructive home care policies, the lack of nursing home staffing standards and privatization of health care.

Speaking to a crowd of about 2,000 protestors at Toronto"s Metro Hall, Patty Rout, OPSEU 1st Vice-President, said Canada puts less of its economy into public health care funding than almost all G8 countries, and that within Canada, Ontario funding lags behind other provinces.

"One of the richest provinces in Canada, our government has taken a consistent "can"t do" attitude towards health care," she said.

In Kingston, OPSEU Regional VP Dave Lundy and board member Lynn Orzel spoke to about 300 people who had come out to a downtown park.

"They keep on telling us more private health care is the answer," said Orzel, "the reality is private healthcare has helped create the mess we are in today."

In Sudbury the rally heard from Sandra Croteau, whose brother Keith was beaten to death in Extendicare York in January 2007.

"The night that he was murdered there were three people, three PSWs that night, for the whole floor. I"m sure there were 100 more (patients) on that floor. And the person who murdered him, he was on suicide watch," she said. "Obviously there was nobody watching him."

In Windsor the rally marched to the offices of MPP Dwight Duncan, Ontario"s Minister of Finance.

"It"s about time that we stand up together and fight for more public funding of the health-care system for all of Ontario." said Jim Kennedy, chair of the London Health Coalition.

In Thunder Bay, OPSEU Regional VP James Tocker told the rally that this is just the beginning of what we need to do, and that the biggest enemy of medicare is indifference. "We know that if there are enough of us, we can move the government on this issue," he said.

The Toronto rally included protestors from around the GTA, including the Friends of the Ajax-Pickering Hospital, which is undergoing deep cuts. (Photo: Rick Janson)

The Healy-Juravich band played a song in tribute to the Hamilton home care workers that stopped the government from restoring competitive bidding. Many of the workers had come to Toronto for the rally. (Photo: Rick Janson)

OPSEU Region 5 PHRC representative Jennifer Ahmed with OPSEU 1st VP Patty Rout at the Metro Hall portion of the Toronto rally. (Photo: Peggy Maybury)

OPSEU Region 5 PHRC representative Jennifer Ahmed with OPSEU 1st VP Patty Rout at the Metro Hall portion of the Toronto rally. (Photo: Peggy Maybury)

"Church and State Fair" get everyone dancing at Metro Hall. (Photo: Peggy Maybury)

Linda Wagner, Joan Gates, Regional VP David Rapaport and Region 5 Board member Nancy Pridham hold up the OPSEU banner. (Photo: Peggy Maybury)

Marchers in Toronto. (Photo: Rick Janson)

Jenna Shannon holds up an OPSEU sign in Kingston. (Photo: Peter Boyle)

Protestors in Kingston, where about 300 came out to a local park. (Photo: Peter Boyle)

OPSEU Regional VP Dave Lundy and Board Member Lynn Orzel with demonstrators in Kingston. (Photo: Peter Boyle)

OPSEU members who turned out in Sudbury included Norm Pilon, Yves Shank (Hospital Professionals Division Chair), Jennifer Giroux, Lynda Ferguson, Tammy Lanktree, Allie, Peter Wall (Board Member for Region 6) and Mandy Dumais (Board Member for Region 6). (Photo: Mandy Dumais).

Protestors in Thunder Bay.

OPSEU Regional VP James Tocker speaks in Thunder Bay.