TORONTO- Ontario's health care system is rife with cozy relationships and vast transfers of money between government and the companies that want to privatize the Medicare system, the Ontario Health Coalition warned today. The link between private health giants Extendicare & CPL REIT and the government's awarding of Long Term Care bed contracts is not the only example of questionable public health policy benefiting private health companies that are also donors to the Ontario PC Party.

Today, the Ontario Health Coalition released the corporate donations figures for the private health consortium Gamma-Dynacare and its related companies that have been aggressively moving into the Ontario Medicare market in recent years. Gamma-Dynacare - controlled by the Latner family from Toronto - in combination with the Latners' casino and property development interests have donated at least $190,000 to the Ontario PC Party since 1995. (Specific donations figures are attached.)

"Who is benefiting from the Conservative's health policy?" questioned Irene Harris Coalition Co- Chair. "More and more the evidence is that private corporations- and more specifically Conservative funders - are the only ones getting a good deal out of health restructuring. The lack of concern for quality accessible patient care, for public policy that works for the betterment of people is shocking."

Health Minister Tony Clement raised the spectre of more healthcare privatization yesterday. "While more health privatization may fatten the PCs' bank balance - it is not good health policy for Ontario. It is frightening that our government is so beholden to private health care corporations", concluded Ms. Harris.

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