01/07/24 'Consultations' Panned

Ontario Health Coalition

 MEDIA RELEASE

July 24, 2001

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Attention: Assignment Editors

"Health Consultations" Panned As Sham Democracy: Ontario Health Coalition

Toronto - Today's announcement of a so-called "public discussion" on health care by Health Minister Tony Clement was slammed by Ontario Health Coalition spokespeople as sham democracy. Mike Harris announced a constituent assembly last spring - specifically in the context of the debate about privatization of Ontario's health system. What has emerged instead is an extremely limited questionnaire, interactive website and a call-in number.

"This is an extremely controlled, manipulative exercise that has much more to do with PR for the Ontario Conservatives than it has to do with democratic government. Once again, the Harris Conservatives are spending vast sums of public money on their own advertising campaign," stated Irene Harris, coalition co-chair, 'The government has assiduously avoided asking any of the big picture questions facing our health care system."

A short list of topics missing from the government's health questionnaire:

  • Do Ontarians want the majority of the 20,000 new long term care beds to be given to private, profit-seeking companies?

  • Do Ontarians support the hand over of homecare services to profit-seeking companies instead of their community VON or Red Cross?

  • Do Ontarians want to see cancer treatment run for profit?

  • Do Ontarians support the de-listing of $100,000,000 of OHIP services?

  • Do Ontarians want to see primary care reform that would put family doctors on salary in group practices with nurse practitioners, therapists and other health professionals?

  • Do Ontarians want to see the goverment address homelessness, poverty, education, access to public services, the environment and other determinants of health in a meaningful way?

  • Do Ontarians support tax breaks for the wealthy over sustainable, universally accessible, publicly controlled health care for the next generation?

  • Would Ontarians rather have access to nurses in emergency rooms in a public non-profit hospital system, or over the phone run by a private company as in the case of Telehealth Ontario?

  • Do Ontarians support the steady reduction in services that are deemed "medically necessary" and covered publicly?

  • Do Ontarians support the cuts, merges and closures of community hospitals?

  • Do Ontarians support the increasing out-of-pocket costs, need for private insurance, increasing drug costs and other private payments required in the province's health system?

  • Do Ontarians support the reduction in minimum staffing levels in long term care facilities?

    "This government has engaged in radical and destructive policy experiments in our public health system for six years without any public debate or discussion. Now they want us to believe that a survey that avoids asking about any of their policy initiatives is some kind of real public consultation. It is an insult to Ontarians who care about the future of our public services." concluded Ms. Harris.

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