Ontario Health Coalition Upcoming Events and Meetings
At local health coalition meetings, upcoming events and initiatives are planned. Local coalitions are working on fighting hospital cuts, protecting public health care for all against privatization and 2-tier user fees for patients, improving home care and long-term care, stopping the privatization of primary care, improving quality and reducing wait times, protecting democratic decision-making and public access to information about our health care institutions and system. Local coalitions are open to anyone who is interested and who supports the aims and values of the health coalition — to safeguard and improve public health care for all under the principles of equity and fairness that are embodied in the Canada Health Act. All are welcome! Please spread the word!!
Peterborough
Peterborough Health Coalition regular monthly planning meeting, Thursday August 3, 4:30 p.m. at the Labour Council, 246 Romaine St. All are welcome!
Welland
Save Our Hospital regular monthly planning meeting, Thursday August 3, 6:30 p.m. Committee Room of the Welland City Hall, First St. Welland. All are welcome!
Hamilton
Hamilton Health Coalition, regular monthly planning meeting, Monday August 28, 3:00 p.m. USW Local 1005 Hall, 350 Kenilworth Avenue North, 2nd floor. All are welcome!
We Can’t “Bear” to Lose Public Medicare – Tour in Northwestern Ontario
Last fall, Jeff Hanks, co-chair of the London Health Coalition spotted a giant teddy bear in Costco. His idea, to create the slogan “We Can’t ‘Bear’ to Lose Medicare” and do a media event with it to educate the public about the threat of health care privatization was taken up by the Ontario Health Coalition. After a kick-off in London last fall and a special event in Sault Ste. Marie in the early spring, volunteers Peter Boyle and Don Arkell took the giant bear on a tour across Ontario to 20 towns. Natalie Mehra, OHC executive director, flew to Thunder Bay to join Jules Tupker, Suzanne Pulice and the local Health Coalition. Everywhere, the giant bear has been a hit, garnering dozens of media stories and helping with our public education initiative. Thank you Jeff for the great idea, and thank you all for coming out to the events in your communities!
We are doing another leg of the tour in Northwestern Ontario this summer. Please come out and join:
Atikokan
Friday, August 11, noon, Town Hall, 120 Marks St.
Fort Frances
Friday August 11, 4 p.m., corner of Church St. & Portage St.
Kenora
Saturday, August 12, 10 a.m., City Hall, 3 Main St.
Dryden
Saturday, August 12, 2 p.m. King St. & Whyte Ave.
Sioux Lookout
Sunday, August 13, 2 p.m. Front St. & 5th Ave.
Nipigon
Monday, August 14, 10:30 a.m. Township Office, 3rd & Front St.
Terrace Bay
Monday, August 14, 1 p.m. Community Centre, Selkirk & Hwy 17.
Marathon
Monday August 14, 4 p.m. Wilson General Memorial Hospital, Peninsula Rd.
