URGENT: Save Our Community Hospitals Upcoming Meetings and Events across Ontario

Posted: November 4, 2014

(November 4, 2014)

The government of Ontario is undertaking an aggressive plan to dismantle community hospitals and contract-out hospital surgeries and diagnostics to private clinics. In the most aggressive cuts plan that we have ever seen, after more than five years of budget slashing, they plan to close all of the outpatient services that they can and hive them off to private clinics, cut acute care beds, maternity and local care services and cut chronic care beds by as much as 50% even though there is nowhere for these patients to go.

Every piece of hospital care that is being cut from our local community hospitals is being privatized and subject to new user fees for patients when they are sick and elderly and least able to pay. We are organizing a giant rally at the Ontario Legislature to stop this and we are organizing and planning events in every community that we can. It is time for regular Ontarians from every part of our province to stand up and tell our government to stop the destruction of our community hospitals that we have funded and built for a hundred years.

Upcoming Meetings and Events

Tuesday November 4

Toronto – Seniors’ Organizations Planning Meeting, 1 p.m., Older Women’s Network Co-op, 115 The Esplanade in Toronto.

Quinte Labour Council, 6 p.m., Federation House (corner of William and Victoria) BellevilleOntario Health Coalition Guest Speaker

Wallaceburg Special Planning Meeting to Save the Local Hospital, 6:30 p.m., Gatsby’s Grill, 750 James St. in Wallaceburg.

Niagara-on-the-Lake Public Forum on the Plans to Close the Local Hospital, 7 p.m., Royal Canadian Legion, 410 King St.

Wednesday November 5

Lindsay Labour Council, 6 p.m., Lindsay Golf and Country Club, 282 Lindsay St. S., Lindsay – With Ontario Health Coalition Guest Speaker

Council of Canadians – Toronto Chapter, 7 p.m., Metro Hall (Rm. 313A), 55 John St. –  With Ontario Health Coalition Guest Speaker

Thursday November 6

London Day of Action for Health Workers, 11 a.m., Victoria Park, 509 Clarence St., London. – With guest speakers including Natalie Mehra, OHC Executive Director

York University: Third Year Social Activism Class, 2:30 p.m. – With guest speaker Natalie Mehra, OHC Executive Director

London Public Info Session and Protest Prop-Making Event, 6:30 p.m., Landon Library, 167 Wortley Rd., London.

Welland Public Forum to Save the Local Hospital from Closure, 7 p.m., Welland City Hall, 60 East Main St. (Community Room).

Orillia Labour Council, 7 p.m., OPSEU office, 76 Coldwater St. E., Orillia. – With Ontario Health Coalition guest speaker.

Toronto Labour Council, 7:30 p.m., OFL Building, 15 Gervais Dr., Toronto – With Ontario Health Coalition guest speaker.

Friday November 7

Midland – Penetanguishene Public Forum to Stop the Cuts to Services for Both Communities and Save the Penetanguishene Hospital from Closure, 7 p.m., Royal Canadian Legion Branch 68, Penetanguishene

Monday November 10

Steelworkers Toronto Area Council, 10:30 a.m., Steelworkers Hall, 25 Cecil St., Toronto – With guest speaker Natalie Mehra, Executive Director OHC.

Windsor Special Planning Meeting, 6 p.m., Unifor local 195/2458 Hall, 3400 Somme Ave.

Tuesday November 11

Peterborough Health Coalition Meeting, 4:30 p.m., Labour Council, 246 Romaine St.

Waterloo Region Labour Council, 6:30 p.m., Unifor Meeting Hall, 600 Wabanaki Drive, Kitchener. – With Ontario Health Coalition guest speaker.

Durham Labour Council, 7 p.m., Unifor local 222 Hall, 1425 Phillip Murray Dr., Oshawa. – With Ontario Health Coalition guest speaker.

Thursday November 13

London Media Event, 4:30 p.m., St. Joseph’s Hospital (Richmond and Grosvenor) – Bring your noisemakers!

Hamilton Special Planning Meeting, 6 p.m., Steelworkers Hall (local 1005), 350 Kenilworth Ave. N., Hamilton – With guest speakers: Natalie Mehra, Executive Director, Ontario Health Coalition, Michael Hurley, President, Ontario Council of Hospital Unions, CUPE, Sara Labelle, Regional Vice-President, OPSEU, Dianne LeClair Regional Vice-President ONA, Dr. Gordon Guyatt (invited).

Monday November 17

Kingston Media Event, 12 p.m. (noon) at MPP Sophie Kiwala’s office, LaSalle Mews, 303 Bagot St.

Grey-Bruce Labour Council Activist Dinner, 6 p.m., Royal Canadian Legion Br. 383, 86 River St., Tara, ON – With guest speaker Natalie Mehra, OHC Executive Director

Tuesday November 18

ONA Biennial Convention, 2:45 p.m. Westin Harbour Castle (Metropolitan Ballroom), Toronto – With guest speaker Natalie Mehra, OHC Executive Director.

Wednesday November 19

Parkdale Seniors Advocacy Group, 10 a.m., Parkdale Community Health Centre, 1229 Queen St. W., Toronto – With guest speaker Natalie Mehra, OHC Executive Director.

*If you want a speaker to come to your meeting or to organize a local planning meeting in your town please contact us. For help or information, please don’t hesitate to contact us by phone or email, 416-441-2502 or ohc@sympatico.ca.