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#waterlooregionhealthcoalition — Public Fediverse posts

Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #waterlooregionhealthcoalition, aggregated by home.social.

  1. KWPeace @[email protected] ·

    Rally to Stop Hospital Privatization at Waterloo Public Square at Noon on Saturday, 25 April 2026

    Agenda

    • Protest Start: 12:00 noon
    • Opening Remarks and Introductions: 12:00 – 12:15, Jim Stewart, Chair WRHC
    • Keynote Speaker: 12:15 – 12:30, Catherine Fife NDP MPP introduces Marit Stiles MPP and Leader of the Opposition
    • Keynote Speaker: 12:30 – 12:45, Adil Shamji MPP and Liberal Health Critic
    • Keynote Speaker: 12:45 – 13:00, Aislinn Clancy MPP, Green Party, Kitchener Centre
    • Closing Remarks: 13:00 – 13:10, Jim Stewart


    Since the inception of public hospitals in Ontario, no government has undertaken privatization like this.

    The Ford government has announced almost $300 million for 61 new private surgical and diagnostic clinics. By Ford’s own numbers, this will redirect 1.2 million patients away from public hospitals. This is truly unprecedented privatization of our public hospitals’ core services.

    While pouring our public money into more expensive for-profit clinics and hospitals, our local public hospitals have been pushed into deficit by the Ford government.

    Our hospitals are not theirs to privatize

    This is the first in a series of protests across Ontario to send a clear message that we will not let them privatize our public hospitals. Experience shows, if we can mount enough pressure we can stop Ford’s privatization.

    Our goal is to inspire 10,000 Ontarians to come out. Let’s make a show of opposition that is equal to the threat.

    Everyone who can join in matters.

    Please note that our protests against hospital privatization are separate from the Fight Ford protests that are not organized by us.

    Stay tuned for dates & locations in the fall.

    —-
    We are proud of the difference we make and we hope you are too. This work is only made possible by people who care like you. Please do become a member or donate. It matters!

    If you can, please donate or become a member.

    Ontario Health Coalition, PO Box 113, North York, Ontario, M3C 2R6 | T: +1‑416‑441‑2502

    #WaterlooPublicSquare #WaterlooRegionHealthCoalition #WaterlooRegion #wrhc
    #waterloopublicsquare #waterlooregionhealthcoalition #waterlooregion #wrhc
  2. KWPeace @[email protected] ·

    Waterloo Region Health Coalition Rally at The Hon. Bardish Chagger’s Office at 1pm on Monday 16 March 2026

    DAY OF ACTION

    Dear Public Health Care defenders:

    On Monday, 16 March 2026, people across Canada will rally outside the offices of their local Liberal Members of Parliament. The nationwide Day of Action warns public health care for all in Canada is under unprecedented threat and calls on the federal government to enforce the Canada Health Act. Health Coalitions have invited the Liberal MPs to join the event, speak to participants, support the fightback against privatization, and commit to bring this issue back to their caucus in Ottawa as a priority. The rally is outside the office of the Hon. Bardish Chagger, Liberal MP.

    1:00pm on Monday, 16 March 2026 at 100 Regina Street, Waterloo, Ontario

    Who: Jim Stewart, Chair, Waterloo Region Health Coalition

    Invited Speakers:

    • Bardish Chagger MP
    • Tim Louis MP
    • Aislinn Clancy MPP
    • Catherine Fife MPP

    Bring highly visible banners and signs!

    Alberta’s Danielle Smith government has launched an unprecedented frontal assault on the Canada Health Act to end single tier Public Medicare & bring in U.S. private health care. The law brings in private for-profit health insurance, direct billing of patients, queue jumping for those who can afford it pushing everyone else back in line, workplace private health insurance plans and more. It is not “like” U.S. style health care. It is U.S. private health care, and for-profit health care interests are lined up to cash in.

    Closer to home, Ontario’s Premier Doug Ford is privatizing public hospitals and is allowing private clinics to charge patients thousands for needed care. By the government’s own numbers, their latest set of private clinics (some of which are essentially hospitals, a number of which are chain owned) aim to redirect 1.2 million patients away from public hospitals. While the government is giving hundreds of millions more to private clinics, it has pushed the majority of public hospitals into deficit in a direct transfer of public resources. Patients are already being charged more than $4,000 per eye in the private cataract surgery clinics that Ford brought in, in violation of our medicare protection laws.

    The Health Coalitions are calling on the federal government to:

    • Tell Alberta’s Danielle Smith government that its health care privatization scheme contravenes the Canada Health Act and they will face a dollar-for-dollar clawback of federal health care funding if they proceed.
    • Require that Ontario stop private clinics from charging patients for medically needed care. The Canada Health Act prohibits user fees and extra-billing of patients, including direct and indirect charges. Thus, no private clinic can require payment for medically unnecessary things (such as extra lenses that do not have anything to do with cataracts) in order to get the medically needed service (such as cataract surgery). Selling queue-jumping for those who have the thousands of dollars available to pay contravenes the requirement that all Canadians have access to health care based on medical need not wealth.
    • Ensure that the carve-out of public health care in Canada under trade agreements will protect the rest of the country if Alberta contravenes the Act. Right now, we all risk losing public health care to U.S.for-profit insurance corporations if Alberta persists.

    For more information: Jim Stewart +1‑519‑588‑5841 or [email protected]

    #WaterlooRegion #WaterlooRegionHealthCoalition #wrhc
    #waterlooregion #waterlooregionhealthcoalition #wrhc
  3. KWPeace @[email protected] ·

    Film Screening: The Spirit of ’45, 2pm on Saturday 22 November 2025 at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church


    Come together for The Spirit of ’45. A story of hope, solidarity, and the power of community in protecting public healthcare.

    Ontario’s public healthcare is under threat, and our communities are speaking up. The Waterloo Region Health Coalition affiliated with the Ontario Health Coalition (OHC) is part of a province-wide movement urging the Ford government to stop the privatization of our healthcare system.

    Join us for a special screening of The Spirit of ’45, a moving film that reminds us of what’s possible when people come together for the common good. Through the story of post-war Britain’s creation of public healthcare, we’re reminded why protecting ours matters now more than ever.

    This fundraiser is more than a movie, it’s a call to action, a chance to stand together for fairness, compassion, and care for all.

    Admission and Donations

    How much is admission?

    Admission is by donation. We suggest a minimum of $10, with all proceeds supporting the Waterloo Region Health Coalition’s work to protect public healthcare in Ontario. You’re welcome to contribute more if you wish; every bit helps!

    Can donations be made at the door on the event day?

    Donations can be made by e-transfer to [email protected] (include “Waterloo fundraiser” in the message) OR by credit card at https://www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca/index.php/donate-now/

    Can donations be made at the door on the event day?

    Yes, we will accept cash or personal cheques at the door.

    #stAndrewsPresbyterianChurch #waterlooRegionHealthCoalition #wrhc

    #standrewspresbyterianchurch #waterlooregionhealthcoalition #wrhc
  4. Bob Jonkman @[email protected] ·

    A repeat presentation with Jim Stewart of the #WaterlooRegionHealthCoalition airing right now on CKMS-FM 102.7, online at radiowaterloo.ca/listen

    #WRHC

    @gemelliz @waterlooregion

    #waterlooregionhealthcoalition #wrhc
  5. Bob Jonkman @[email protected] ·

    I'll be interviewing Jim Stewart of the @waterlooregion Health Coalition at 11am on 22 May 2023 about the Health Coalition's referendum and the ongoing #HealthCareCrisis in Ontario.

    It'll be the fifth time Jim Stewart is on CKMS #CommunityConnections to talk about the privatization of health care, but the problem keeps getting worse...

    Previous appearances: radiowaterloo.ca/tag/wrhc

    #WRHC #WaterlooRegionHealthCoalition #ORC #OntarioHealthCoalition

    @consigningwoman

    #healthcarecrisis #communityconnections #wrhc #waterlooregionhealthcoalition #orc #ontariohealthcoalition