Health coalition calls on public to stand up for health care
The de-rostering of thousands of patients at the Group Health Centre in Sault Ste. Marie was the centre of attention at a town hall Friday organized by the Algoma chapter of the Ontario Health Coalition.
Guest speakers included politicians, policy analysts and physicians and the focus of the meeting was the need to protect public health care.
Albert Dupuis of the Ontario Health Coalition Algoma said the gathering was designed to educate the public on the importance of health care and the drawbacks of privatization.
“It’s not because we’re lacking resources,” Dupuis said.
“It’s because the politicians are making choices to deny the investment in the resources that they would be able to put into the public system if they should so choose. Instead, we’re opting for private options and for profiteering.”
While the vast majority of those in attendance were seniors, Coalition executive director Natalie Mehra said health-care issues affect people of all ages.
“Seniors are the biggest users of the health system, so it’s kind of natural, but we do find that there’s kind of huge support for public health care among young people, as well,” said Mehra, who said the de-rostering of 10,000 patients at Group Health Centre is drawing attention from across Ontario to the health care crisis.
“This primary care crisis, this access crisis, is rolling out in a way we’ve never seen,” said Mehra.
“I think Sault Ste. Marie is the epicentre, and I think it’s sort of fitting because the Group Health Centre was the model for community health centres that developed across the province.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From AI running wild to collapsing ecosystems, government report outlines future disruptions
From artificial intelligence running wild to collapsing ecosystems, a new Canadian government report outlines 35 disruptions that could rattle the country in the near future.
B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton hospitalized after prison attack
British Columbia serial killer Robert Pickton was attacked and sustained life-threatening injuries in a Quebec prison Sunday in what officials described as a 'major assault.'
opinion Tom Mulcair: With Trudeau spiralling, Mark Carney waits in the wings
In his latest column for CTVNews.ca, former NDP leader Tom Mulcair argues that if there's an unofficial frontrunner in the eventual race to replace Justin Trudeau as Liberal leader, it has to be former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney.
Toronto Blue Jays fan struck by 110 m.p.h foul ball offered tickets, signed baseball by team
The Toronto Blue Jays have offered tickets and a signed baseball to a fan who says she was struck in the face by a 110 m.p.h (177 km/h) foul ball at Friday’s game.
Matthew Perry's death is being investigated over ketamine level found in actor's blood, reports say
An investigation has been opened into the death of Matthew Perry and how the “Friends” actor received the anesthetic ketamine, which was ruled a contributing factor in his death.
OPP continues to investigate boat collision north of Kingston, Ont. that left 3 people dead
Ontario Provincial Police continue to investigate a long weekend fatal boat collision on Bobs Lake, north of Kingston, Ont.
Police in Ontario say suspects charged in armed home invasion near Toronto part of 'larger criminal network'
Police in Ontario say a group of suspects charged in an armed home invasion north of Toronto last year were driving a vehicle stolen in a carjacking in Calgary just one month earlier.
Stolen septic truck swerves through traffic, spike belt needed to stop it: Manitoba RCMP
A 29-year-old woman has been charged after police say she stole a septic truck from a Manitoba community and drove erratically on the highway.
Orphan orca's extended family spotted off northeast side of Vancouver Island
Members of a killer whale pod related to an orphan orca calf that escaped a remote British Columbia tidal lagoon last month have been spotted off the northeast coast of Vancouver Island.