Ontario Health Coalition

 MEDIA
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November 22, 2001

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Attention: Assignment Editors

End "Dip and Skip" Homecare Reform --
Ontario Health Coalition Slams Healthcare Censorship Bill

Toronto - In a media conference held today at Queen's Park, Ontario Health Coalition spokespeople expressed outrage at the provincial Conservative government's new Bill that will muzzle homecare agencies and stunt public access to information about this growing health sector in Ontario.

On November 7, 2001 Conservative Associate Minister of Health Helen Johns introduced Bill 130, An Act Respecting Community Care Access Corporations. The Bill, which completely removes all democratic community control, is expected to go to second reading next week. Included in its provisions are the following:

  • Hundreds of community memberships in CCACs will be discontinued as the CCACs become statutory corporations.
  • Current elected Boards of CCACs will be replaced with Boards appointed by the provincial government.
  • Current elected CCAC Chairs and Vice-Chairs may be replaced by those appointed by the provincial government.
  • The hiring and firing of Executive Directors may be ordered by the government.
  • Over forty current CEOs are to be terminated unless the government appoints them as Executive Directors under this Act.
  • The public will have access only to Annual Reports of CCACs. Other information is to be available only if the Minister deems "necessary to the public interest."

    Far from actually reforming the homecare system set up by the provincial Conservative government in 1997, this Act simply serves to silence the Boards and CEOs of the CCACs who have recently become some of the government's most vociferous critics. However, the provincial Conservatives cannot silence the people who work in the system. Privately, workers have begun to refer to the Community Care Access Centres as "No Access" Centres. Homecare is called "Dip and Skip" - a reference to the scant time that personal support workers are given to bathe clients. While this Bill may achieve a censorship of the CCACs, the problems resulting from the provinces' short-sighted health care policies are not going away.

    Despite ministerial promises to the contrary, there has been no consultation whatsoever on homecare reform - reform that covers the fastest growing sector in Ontario's health care system. Bill 130 is a shocking assault on democracy and should be withdrawn. If the government will not withdraw the Bill, the Ontario Health Coalition demands that it be sent to committee hearings.

    A report on this issue including details about the impact of budget cuts across the province was released by the OHC today. Called "Dip and Skip: A Supplement to the June 2001 Report on Homecare Reform in Ontario", it is available at docs/report2.htm. The Ontario Health Coalition is a network of over 200 community agencies and organizations committed to a quality, one-tier public healthcare system.

    FOR MORE INFORMATION: FOR MORE INFORMATION: 416-441-2502


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