The Ontario Health Coalition and allied organizations are mounting a huge campaign to keep the pressure on all three parties to oppose for-profit health care and to strengthen our public system. There will be all-candidates' meetings, candidate meet-and-greet events, door to door canvasses, and public forums around the province. Check the list below to see what is happening in your town or community!

Watch out website for the latest on times and locations - or phone us at 416-441-2502.

Meet and greet your candidates at town halls and community forums on long-term care and homecare

All-candidates meetings on health care

All-candidates meetings are being held on long term care and homecare in the following communities. This is your chance to hold your candidates' feet to the fire on these important issues, so be sure to come out and bring your friends!

Peterborough (Peterborough Health Coalition)
Wednesday, September 17, 7-9:30pm
Public Library, Elmer Street

Sarnia-Lambton (co-sponsored by Sarnia Health Coalition, RNAO and ONA)
Thursday, September 18, 7-9pm
Shrine Club (940 Confederation Street)

Lindsay (Lindsay Health Coalition)
Friday, September 19, time TBA
Lindsay Lions Club, Bobcaygeon

London (Community-University Research Alliance)
Monday, September 22, 7pm
Lawson Health Research Institute
St. Joseph's Hospital, Shuttleworth Auditorium (Room K091)

Hamilton (sponsored by the Hamilton Spectator)
Sunday, September 21, 2-4:30pm
Spectator Building Auditorium
44 Frid Street, Hamilton
IMPORTANT: you must register by phoning and leaving a message for Bobby or Mary Jane at 905.526.3266

Town hall meetings on long-term care and homecare

Candidates will be present to hear and respond to the concerns of the participants. Co-sponsored by the OHC and local coalitions.

Kitchener-Waterloo
Thursday, September 25, 7-9pm
Kitchener Public Library, Hamblin East Room
85 Queen St. North, Kitchener

Parry Sound
Thursday, September 25,  7-9pm
West Parry Sound Health Centre
Parry Sound, Ontario

Etobicoke North
Thursday, September 25,  5-7pm
Rexdale Community Health Clinic (to be confirmed)
8 Taber Road, Rexdale

Thunder Bay
Thursday, September 25, 6-8pm
Oliver Road Recreational Centre

Etobicoke-Lakeshore
Saturday, September 27, 2-4pm
Lakeshore Multi-Services Project

Oshawa
Monday, September 29, 7-9pm
CAW Local 222
Philip Murray Ave, Oshawa

Public meetings to make health care a key election issue have taken place in London, Sarnia, and Uxbridge. Still to come are meetings in Toronto and Guelph.

London
Wednesday, September 10,  7-9pm
London Public Library, Stevenson & Hunt Room A
Dundas and Wellington

Sarnia
Sunday, September 14, 7pm

Uxbridge
Tuesday, September 16,  7-9 pm
Arena #1 (Board Room #1)

Toronto (Toronto Health Coalition)
Monday, September 22, 7-9pm
St. Christopher's House, Dundas and Ossington

Guelph -- PJ Devereaux on the privatization of health care (Guelph Health Coalition)
Tuesday, September 23, 7-9pm
Dublin St. United Church
68 Suffolk Street, Guelph

Lambton-Kent-Middlesex & Newbury (OHC)
Saturday, September 27, 2-5pm
Legion Hall, York & Dundas (East corner)
Newbury, Ontario

Door-to-door canvasses

Brampton
The Brampton Health Coalition has already canvassed thousands of households and given out 10,000 flyers in its fight against the planned P3 hospital in Brampton. The coalition will continue its spectacular canvass throughout the election campaign. To join, please call the Brampton Health Coalition at 905.452.7470.

St. Catharines
Two new hospital projects planned for St. Catharines have had no public money allocated to them, and it's clear the Conservatives are determined to push the P3 model as far as they can. The St. Catharines Health Coalition plans to reach 1,000 households during this campaign to educate people about the dangers of P3 hospitals and pressure the other parties to make clear commitments against for-profit hospitals in St. Catharines. To join the coalition's canvass, call Sue Hotte at 905.641.1646.

Toronto
The Ontario Health Coalition will be targeting three ridings over the next two Saturdays by canvassing in blitz crews of 50 people between 12 noon and 3pm. To join, call our office at 416.441.2502.

Local coalitions will also be doing mass literature drops in their ridings to hit a large number of households in a short space of time. Join our local activists in the following ridings:

Lambton-Kent-Middlesex -- call Arlene Patterson at 519.869.6826

London -- call Peter Bergmanis at 519.433.4403

Ottawa -- call the health coalition at 1.866.720.9070

Take a lawn sign -- show your support for public medicare!

Lawn signs are available in the following communities -- call your local coalition for pick-up or delivery:

Brampton -- 905.452.7470

Ottawa -- 1.866.720.9070

Uxbridge/Markham-Stouffvile/Oshawa -- 905.723.0797

Toronto -- 416.929.1545

Tenacious Trojan horse follows Eves around the province

All the information about healthcare you wanted to know from your candidates, but were afraid to ask. Until now.

1. There are now five planned private, for-profit (P3) hospitals in Ontario. World-wide evidence shows that these private hospitals cost more and lead to bed, staffing and service cuts. They also transfer control over billions of dollars of public assets to private companies. What will you do to stop private hospitals if any deals are signed before the election? What will you do to ensure new hospitals and hospital redevelopments have adequate public funding?

2. Tens of thousands of frail, elderly seniors have had their home support services cut in the last several provincial budget. Studies show that these services are important to prevent illness and injury -- and actually reduce admissions to emergency rooms. What will you do to restore home support services to seniors, those with disabilities and those with chronic illnesses?

3. Privatization of homecare has been a disaster. Companies are making money by cutting the benefits, mileage and remuneration of homecare workers. Staffing shortages, high turnover and reduced services are the result of introducing private, for-profit companies into homecare. What will you do to restore public, non-profit homecare service in Ontario?

4. The corporate lobbyists for nursing homes have succeeded in reducing resident and staff protections. Minimum staffing levels are gone. Government studies show that Ontarians in long-term care facilities are among the most acutely ill in the country, and yet have the lowest hours of care. Staff accidents and injuries are on the rise. Families have to pay private caregivers or provide care themselves, if they are able. What will you do to improve the shameful conditions in Ontario's long-term care facilities?

5. Last summer, the provincial Conservatives increased fees for seniors in long-term care facilities. The money has gone to all sorts of things, most of it untraceable, despite promises that improved staffing and care levels would result. Will you commit to rolling back the increased user fees for seniors in long-term care facilities and replace the funding with public funding? How will you ensure that facilities? operations are transparent and that they are made accountable for improving staffing and care levels?

6. The provincial Conservatives have introduced new private, for-profit MRI and CT clinics across Ontario. Some of the clinics are now open. Many of them have poached scarce staff out of public, non-profit hospital clinics to work in the new private, for-profit clinics, despite government promises that this wouldn't happen. Will you commit to cancelling the deals with these private companies, and bringing the clinics -- and staff -- back into public, non-profit hospitals? How will you ensure that these for-profit, two-tier clinics will not be introduced again?