Many people are growing frustrated with the current path being taken at Queen’s Park under Ontario Premier Doug Ford, especially regarding health care and education.
The scene today was lively, with protesters filling all corners of the Glendale Avenue intersection in St. Catharines as part of a province-wide “Fight Ford” day of action.
For those present, it served as a reminder that they’re not alone in their discontent.
“I mean, look around, I’m surrounded by so many people that are fed up with this,” said Dan Stanikowski, a resident of Welland.
A major point of concern was how health care is being managed.
This rally followed weeks of local protests organized by Fort Erie residents trying to keep their urgent care center open. Liz Benneian, chair of Biodiversity and Climate Action Collective Niagara, felt it was time to intensify their efforts.
“When I heard that there were a group of women who had been here for the last three weeks protesting the closing of the urgent care centre in Fort Erie, I said to them, I’m gonna bring the troops,” said Benneian.
This led to hundreds turning out for the protest. Various climate groups and community organizations joined forces, transforming this into a larger movement calling for change.
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<p“The number of conservation authorities are being reduced and the amount of control by the provincial government is being increased. So we’re just a little bit afraid that it’s going in the wrong direction,” said a local resident.
This direction includes a controversial new law announced earlier this month that would protect the premier and cabinet from freedom of information requests.
Critics argue it could limit access to records such as cell phone call logs, raising concerns about transparency.
<p“There must be something wrong. What are you trying to hide, Doug?” said Benneian.
The worries extend beyond office records and into schools.
A wave of student walkouts across Niagara has sparked protests against changes to OSAP that alter funding from mostly grants to 75 percent loans.
<p“We have kids in university that are barely able to get there with OSAP. And any more cuts and they’re just gonna have a lifetime of debt. And that scares me,” said another local.
The issues raised at the protest cover various topics from health care to OSAP cuts; however, their message remains clear and unified.
This gathering in St. Catharines is one among over 30 cities throughout Ontario where locals turned their street corners into platforms for political expression today.
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