Message to Doug Ford from the Ontario Federation of Labour: Ontarians want strong public health care, not privatization

TORONTO, Jan. 11, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Any moves by the Ford government to privatize health care in Ontario would be a disaster for this province.

Unless our government improves publicly funded and delivered health care, they are condemning Ontarians to painful choices when they are at their most vulnerable.

"Doug Ford has consistently undermined protections for Ontarians including the right to strike, and laws that provided for decent work and a $15 minimum wage. Now it looks like his government will undermine the public health care system," said OFL President Chris Buckley. "Instead of creating a two-tier system that benefits the wealthy, it should move to build a stronger public system that can end hallway medicine, and work with the Federal government to also provide a universal pharmacare program for the benefit of all Ontarians."

Ford's cuts to OHIP+ which provided drug coverage for Ontarians under 25 already forces families to pay for private health care plans and forces them into impossible choices. It appears he has accepted Ernst and Young's recommendations that would impose means testing and user fees on universal programs.

"We will stop the push toward privatization," said Buckley. "We are going to send that message at rallies across the province during this government's pre-budget hearings. Until this government changes course, they will meet with fierce resistance. Privatization is a non-starter."

To find out how you can attend one of these rallies and send a strong message to the Ford government click here.

The OFL represents 54 unions and one million workers in Ontario. For information, visit www.OFL.ca and follow @OFLabour on Facebook and Twitter.

For further information contact:

Meagan Perry
Director of Communications
Ontario Federation of Labour
[email protected] | 416-894-3456

Cope343