Residents in the area who back public healthcare are invited to join a protest this weekend outside Windsor-Tecumseh MPP Andrew Dowie’s office.
The Windsor Essex Health Coalition will rally against the privatization of healthcare, kicking off at 11 a. m. at 5452 Tecumseh Road East.
Local organizer Patrick Hannon mentions that the group has conducted protests before and plans to continue as long as the Ford government redirects healthcare funds to private clinics.
“We have to build public awareness in order to amass enough people protesting about it that we can actually stop the Ford government from their continued privatization and roll that back,” he said. “We will be keeping up pressure on the Ford government and their MPPs.”
This demonstration is part of a series happening across the province. Organizers aim to mobilize 10,000 participants. Similar protests are also scheduled in Ottawa, St. Catherines, Port Colbourne, Kitchener-Waterloo, Kawartha Lakes, and Elmvale in Simcoe County.
“While [Premier Doug] Ford is pouring hundreds of millions into private for-profit clinics, and almost a billion a year into privatized staffing agencies, his government is purposely forcing our local public hospitals into deficit and cuts,” read a release. “To add insult to injury, the private clinics cost more per surgery, and the private staffing agencies charge double to triple her hour more than hiring on permanent staff in public hospitals.”
Hannon stressed that it’s essential for the public to closely examine how the Ford government allocates health funding.
“The MPPs will tell people that they’re spending an unprecedented amount on health care,” said Hannon. “What they’re not saying is the unprecedented amount is going to private clinics. They have already spent this year over $1-billion.”
The coalition cautions that the Ford government jeopardizes the health, safety, and lives of those living in Windsor and Essex County just to profit what they refer to as “profit seekers at the public’s expense.”
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