February 6, 2019 at 8:30 AM
TORONTO - Unifor demands Ford government put a stop to secret privatization plans and come clean about intentions for Ontario’s healthcare system.
"Just last week, Minister Elliot dismissed the secret bill as a draft. Now we see that the truth is far more severe," said Naureen Rizvi, Unifor Ontario Regional Director. "For Ontarians, public healthcare is a life-or-death priority, and attempts to confuse or diminish the conversation show a lack of respect for all who rely on this system. We want the truth."
Additional documents released today by the Ontario NDP show that the plan to establish a new healthcare "Super Agency" has been in the works for months, and was approved by the PC Cabinet on January 16, 2019. When asked at a media conference, ONDP Leader Andrea Horwath stated that members of the board of the "Super Agency" had already been sought out and remuneration had been agreed to.
New information in the documents also reveals a plan that would threaten quality of care through widespread outsourcing of vital services including inspections, laboratories, licensing, devices and Ornge.
The release of the three documents follows the full release of a draft bill to create a “Super Agency” that would have far-reaching powers including merging health services such as hospitals, long-term care homes, and community health centres.
"It's Harris all over again. We have been down this road before, and it does not end well for patients or for healthcare workers," said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. "When the Conservatives were in power under Harris, they took a chainsaw to public healthcare and patients are still feeling the impact. We cannot afford one more step toward privatization of our public services."
Unifor represents more than 26,000 members in the health care sector including paramedics at Ornge responsible for air and ground patient care and medical transport.
For further information: Contact Sarah McCue, Unifor National Communications Representative at 416-458-3307 (cell) or [email protected]
Source: Unifor
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