Nurses at Peterborough Regional Health Centre are holding a rally this Thursday, February 23 from 12 noon to 2 pm. It is one of 35 across the province demanding a better contract from the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) and the Ford government.

Labour Council will be there – will you? Please join if you are able.

Here is a link that will enable you to send an email of support for the nurses to your MPP, give you the latest news, bargaining basics and some campaign materials https://www.ona.org/bettercare/

See you this Thursday.

As a reminder, later on Thursday, the Peterborough Health Coalition is hosting a Zoom Town Hall starting at 6 pm with Ontario Health Coalition Executive Director Natalie Mehra as one of the keynote speakers.

Register for the town hall here:

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUldumgqTstHdNgoBp_7Nw0NnzEOoNnvjPB

Strategies will be shared about the upcoming massive, province-wide campaign organized by OHC to STOP PRIVATIZATION, and how YOU can become involved.

For further information about the Town Hall, contact

Marion Burton at marionburton@nexicom.net or 705 868-7352

Or Roy Brady at rbrady1@cogeco.ca or 705 745-2446

In solidarity,

Peterborough & District Labour Council

Tuesday January 31 via Zoom, 7 – 8:30 pm

All members, supporters and allies please join this emergency online meeting as we plan to mount a major and urgent fightback against Ford’s initiative to privatize our public hospitals.

Last week, the Ford government announced their plans to build new for-profit surgical/diagnostic hospitals and expand for-profit clinics. At the same time, the Ford government has left our public hospitals with operating rooms that are closed in the evenings, on weekends, for days and months at a time, or even permanently, due to inadequate funding and staffing to run them. Similarly, MRIs and other diagnostics in public hospitals have been limited due to inadequate funding and staffing. Now, after having worsened the staffing crisis in public hospitals and having done nothing to ramp up public hospitals to operate to their capacity, Ford is launching privatization of their core services as if it is a “solution”. It is the old formula: create a crisis and privatize.

The private for-profit clinics that already exist in Ontario and across Canada are ground zero for extra-billing patients thousands of dollars for medically-needed diagnostic tests and surgeries. In addition, they routinely “upsell”, manipulating patients into paying for medically unnecessary add-ons. It is already a very serious problem, and those for-profit clinics only do a small portion of what Ford is planning.

We are deeply concerned. The plan that Ford is now putting into action poses a fatal threat to public medicare in our province and our country. We are going to do everything in our power to stop this privatization.

We have some ideas to mount a fightback that could stop them if we can build it big enough. Please join us.

Tuesday January 31 via Zoom, 7 – 8:30 pm

Please register and fill in the information here (you will receive the Zoom link by email after you register): https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZApd-upqDksG9PtSt5qAbsgMDZ3VnVAY6Zd

What can you do right now?

With our hospitals in crisis and plans to privatize public hospital services are being announced, it is vital that we have a strong show of support to tell the Ford government in no uncertain terms that they do not have a mandate from Ontarians to privatize our public health care. We need to get as many people as possible to scare the Ford government away from their plans to privatize and do nothing to help the crisis in our hospitals.

You can help by:

·       We need to show that those who oppose the privatization of our health care are a major force. Please count yourself in as a “Public Medicare Defender” and get your friends, colleagues and families to do so also. Sign up here: https://www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca/

·        Help educate our communities about the issues. Hand out leaflets in your community, place of worship or work. Printable leaflet is here: https://www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca/wp-content/uploads/Public-Medicare-Defender-Leaflet.pdf (NOTE: this leaflet will be updated tomorrow Jan. 24 to reflect the current announcement and plans of the Ford government).

·        Fill in and share this survey with your seniors’ organization, patient group, community group, friends, family and neighbours to collect evidence on what patients are being charged in private clinics. You can fill it in online here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd0SYm3eHDxx2tYPxKOCSmSeeR8jiuqPsUH76Uu3vv8tT2jOQ/viewform?usp=sf_link or the printable version here: https://www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca/wp-content/uploads/final-survey-re-private-clinics-extra-billing.pdf

Many of us have been part of the launch today for the OFL’s launch of the Enough is Enough Campaign!

Please go to wesayenough.ca and sign up to this campaign – we will be sharing more information about this important work – but a start is to SIGN UP

Here is the link to make it easy https://wesayenough.ca/

Please also share on social media and through committees you are part of and / or chair.

Thanks all.

Ottawa

Good morning,

Please see the information below regarding OHC and ACE’s new law forcing elderly into long-term care homes against their choice.

Ontario Health Coalition & Advocacy Centre for the Elderly will go to court to challenge Ford government’s new law forcing elderly into long-term care homes against their choice: “an egregious violation of their Charter rights”

Watch online here: https://fb.watch/gXqVO4bl8f/

The Ontario Health Coalition and the Advocacy Centre for the Elderly launched a Constitutional Challenge this morning in response to the Ford government’s new law that forces elderly hospital patients into long-term care homes against their choice. The two groups will be co-applicants to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in what is known as a Charter Challenge, seeking a court ruling to strike down the law as a violation of the fundamental rights of the patients affected under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

On Sunday November 20, regulations under Bill 7, the euphemistically titled More Beds Better Care Act (2022) came into effect, requiring hospitals to charge elderly patients $400 if they refuse to go to a long-term care home or other service against their will. Despite the title given to it by the Ford government, the Act neither provides more beds nor better care. Instead, it affects patients, the vast majority of them elderly, who are called Alternate Level of Care (ALC) patients waiting for long-term care or other services. It enables hospitals and discharge planners to:

·       assess the patient without their consent,

·       share their personal health information to an array of long-term care or other companies without their consent,

·       fill in their applications without their consent, and;

·       admit them into long-term care homes or other services without their consent.

In Southern Ontario patients will be transferred up to 70 km away. In Northern Ontario, patients can be transferred up to 150 km away, or if there are no beds available, any distance. If a patient refuses to go, the hospital is required to charge them $400 per day.

“The purpose of the legislation and mandatory $400 fee is to intimidate and coerce older adults to leave hospital, to any destination, even those which are inappropriate,” said Jane Meadus, lawyer and institutional advocate at the Advocacy Centre for the Elderly (ACE). “Under this law, hospitalized senior’s personal health information can be sent to any long-term care home without their consent, breaching a fundamental right to privacy over health information that every other Ontario citizen enjoys.”

“This law will result in the forced admission of older adults into homes far away from their spouses, whom they may have been married to for 50 or 60 years, making it impossible for them to visit, likely for the rest of their lives, causing unimaginable harm to both,” added lawyer Graham Webb who is the executive director of ACE. “They can now send a hospital patient to a long-term care home that is hours away from their home, resulting in the inability of family or loved ones to visit on a regular basis.  As we saw during the COVID-19 lockdown, this deprivation caused untold harm and suffering to the residents, and Bill 7 will again impose this harm on seniors of this province.”

“Bill 7 represents an unprecedented and egregious deprivation of the Charter rights of many elderly and vulnerable hospital patients in respect of both their right to life, liberty and security of the person and to equality,” recounted Steven Shrybman, lawyer at Golblatt Partners LLP, counsel for the Health Coalition and ACE in the Charter Challenge. “Because the intent of Bill 7 is to coerce certain hospital patients who can no longer be cared for at home into being placed in a long-term care home that may have a terrible record and be far from their family and community, it is a direct affront to the fundamental right to give informed consent to medical treatment.”

“Bill 7 targets a group of people who are vulnerable and frail because of their physical or mental health issues and/or old age, and therefore their right to equality under Section 15 of the Charter,” added Benjamin Piper, lawyer at Goldblatt Partners LLP.

“We have been under enormous pressure from Ontarians in general who are both furious and fearful about being forced into long-term care homes that are far away or that have terrible reputations,” reported Natalie Mehra, executive director. “There is no doubt there is a crisis in our hospitals – a crisis that is the result of government policy choices – choices to fund Ontario’s hospitals at the lowest rate in the country and to have the fewest beds of any province staffed and in operation. Choices not to do what is needed to improve the staffing crisis and build more public long-term care beds as quickly as possible. There are many other solutions to the hospital crisis, but steamrolling over the fundamental rights of the elderly and the dying is not one of them.”

“We are talking about elderly patients in the last months of their lives. They are human beings with the same right to compassion and care as all Ontarians. Their lives have value. They cannot just be shipped off against their will to somewhere they are afraid to go, away from their loved ones, where they will most likely die. It is wrong. We have to challenge this, on principle,” she concluded.

The Ontario Health Coalition has compiled a list of long-term care homes with the longest wait lists and the shortest wait lists in each region of the province to illustrate where patients might be most likely to be forced. Available at: https://www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca/wp-content/uploads/LTC-waitlist-data-final.pdf

The Ontario Health Coalition has to raise the funds to cover the costs of the Charter Challenge. To give a sense of the work we need to do, we need to find 500 people who will donate $1000 each, 1000 people who will donate $500 each, or 10,000 people who will donate $50 each or 20,000 people who will donate $25 each. If you can help, please donate here: https://www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca/index.php/donate-now/

Please note the CBC came out with a report yesterday that Ontario had 109 COVID-19 deaths over the past week, which is the highest total since early May.

October 21, 2022

 

New report on the spread of COVID, LTC outbreaks, hospitalizations & deaths raises red flags despite the Ford government’s suppression of COVID Data

 

Toronto – The Ford government has ceased regular reporting on the spread of COVID-19. Public Health no longer publishes daily and weekly epidemiologic reports and it has become steadily more difficult to get accurate numbers. Not only are the government and Public Health not reporting much of the data previously available, they have also cut testing and abandoned trace and isolation measures. Regardless, there is some data available and infectious disease specialists have taken up the challenge of identifying transmission of the virus using wastewater, serology and other evidence. The Ontario Health Coalition released a report today in plain language to give the public a clearer idea of the risks. The data the Coalition found on long-term care and hospital outbreaks, hospitalizations, community spread and deaths should raise red flags. The abandonment of all public protections against the transmission of the virus is resulting in loss of health and death for a significant number of Ontarians.

On December 31, 2021, the Ontario government heavily restricted access to public PCR testing. This meant that a very small percent of the population could get access to PCR testing resulting in a significant underreporting of positive cases.  The end of public testing has ushered in a new era of data suppression in which regular Ontarians had no way of knowing how prevalent and dangerous the spread of COVID-19 was in our communities.

From the week of Oct 2- Oct 8, there were only 66,177 tests done resulting in 8,929 confirmed cases. For context, there were 435,213 tests performed from the week of Dec 26, 2021-Jan 1 2022, the last week prior to the strict rationing of public testing.

Dr. Tara Moriarty of Moriarty Labs, an infectious diseases research laboratory studying blood borne pathogens, and a group of doctors and researchers created COVID-19 Resources Canada in order to provide more information to Canadians. They have used the best available data to calculate the spread of COVID-19 including wastewater surveillance, seroprevalence and in some provinces, self-reporting to give an accurate depiction of COVID-19 in our communities.

Their key findings include:

There were 68,910 new COVID-19 cases in Ontario on October 14, the most recent day reported. That is 68,910 new cases in one day. That is 44 percent of the new daily infections in Canada. (Note: Ontario has 39 percent of Canada’s population but 44 percent of daily new infections on the most recent date reported.)

COVID-19 remains a serious and potentially fatal pathogen:

·        7,235 of those infected on October 14 will have significant symptoms that will last more than 4-weeks and will limit their daily activity.

·        389 Ontarians are predicted to have been hospitalized for COVID-19 on October 14.

·        As of October 14, 1 in 32 Canadians either have COVID-19 or are still suffering from symptoms of COVID-19 and 3.5% of Ontarians have COVID-19 or are still suffering from COVID-19 symptoms.

Long-Term Care COVID-19 Outbreaks Update

On October 12, the Ontario government COVID-19 website reported 152 active outbreaks with 1,526 active resident cases and 480 active staff cases. 11 long-term care residents died from COVID-19 on that date. There are 626 long-term care homes in Ontario, which means that approximately 1 in 4 homes are in outbreak.

Deaths in Ontario’s LTC homes for the previous week:

October 12: 11 deaths

October 11: 1 death

October 10 1 death

October 9: missing data

October 8: 10 deaths

October 7: 4 deaths

October 6: 9 deaths

The Ministry of Long-Term Care statistics have always been lower than Public Health Ontario data (for which they recently stopped reporting detailed breakdowns).  It is evident that they are still underreporting because on October 8, Public Health reported 161 active outbreaks compared to the 152 active outbreaks reported by the provincial government. This may be the last update with reliable information in LTC because as of October 14, the Ministry of Long-Term Care has issued new guidance limiting testing to symptomatic residents, removing the requirement for testing on admission, and changing the definition of an outbreak to two or more residents with a known epi-link.  Staff infections will no longer contribute to an outbreak and homes are now going to be self-reporting their cases.

 

Large Outbreaks in Long-Term Care

Most Public Health Units are not listing the cases and deaths in LTC anymore. In our research we found that only Sarnia-Lambton, Chatham Kent, Southwestern, York, Huron-Perth, Waterloo, Windsor Essex, Peel and North Bay Parry Sound Public Health Units (PHUs) report the number of cases associated with outbreaks.

Sarnia-Lambton:

Marshall Gowland Manor: a 126-bed Long-Term Care home in Sarnia has 40 residents and <5 staff/visitors infected with COVID-19.

Southwestern PHU:

Caressant Care- Bonnie Place: a for-profit 116-bed Long-Term Care home in St Thomas has an active outbreak with 58 cases in their residents/staff.

Elgin Manor-St Thomas: a 90-bed home in St Thomas has an outbreak with 48 confirmed cases and 1 probable case in their residents and staff.

PeopleCare Tavistock: a 100-bed home in Tavistock has an outbreak with 46 confirmed cases in their residents and staff.

Huron Perth:

Queensway Nursing Home: a 60-bed home has an outbreak with 16 residents infected.

 

Greenwood Courts: a non-profit long-term care home with 48 beds has an outbreak with 15 residents and 4 staff members infected.

Windsor-Essex:

Chartwell Royal Oak: a 160-bed home has an outbreak with 20 cases associated

 

The Village of Aspen Lake: a 192-bed home has an outbreak with 19 cases associated.

 

Heron Terrace Long-Term Care: a 140-bed has an outbreak with 34 cases associated.

 

Berkshire Care Centre: a 231-bed home has an outbreak with 18 cases.

Peel:

Extendicare Brampton: a 150-bed home has an outbreak with 55 residents infected.

Waterloo:

Golden Year Long-Term Care: an 88-bed home, has an outbreak with 19 residents and 7 staff infected.

 

The Village at University Gates: a 192-bed home has an outbreak with 43 residents and 9 staff members infected.

 

Barnswallow Place: a 96-bed home has an outbreak with 50 residents and 6 staff infected.

Hospital Update

As of October 20, there are 121 active outbreaks in Ontario’s 141 Hospitals according to the Ontario government. This includes multiple outbreaks in some hospitals.

Local Public Health Unit Updates

COVID-19 Cases in our Communities

 

Toronto– From October 11-18, there have been 1,683 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 16 deaths from COVID-19.  70 New cases have resulted in hospitalization.

Southwestern Ontario: As of October 12, there were 238 active confirmed COVID-19 cases, 18 of which have resulted in hospitalization in the Southwestern Public Health Unit

Niagara: As of October 17, there were 823 active confirmed cases in the Niagara Public Health Unit.  There were 15 active outbreaks in Niagara’s long-term care homes, retirement communities and hospitals.

Windsor-Essex: As of October 13, there were 307 new active confirmed cases and 3 COVID-19 deaths, 56 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 and 3 in ICU.  There were 27 active outbreaks in long-term care, hospitals and retirement homes.

Sarnia-Lambton: From October 2- October 8, there have been 112 new cases of COVID-19 and there has been an average of 8 COVID-19 patients hospitalized per day. There were 9 active outbreaks in LTC homes, retirement homes and congregate living settings.

Chatham-Kent: From October 9- October 15 there were 76 new active confirmed cases and 3 active outbreaks in group homes and retirement homes.

Halton: As of October 12, there were 12 active outbreaks in Halton’s hospitals, LTC homes and retirement homes.  On average there are 27.7 new confirmed cases per day and 3 of those cases require hospitalization.

Wellington-Dufferin Guelph:  As of October 19, there were 203 active confirmed COVID-19 cases, 23 patients were hospitalized and 3 are in ICU. There were 4 active outbreaks in the area’s hospitals and retirement homes.

Waterloo: As of October 14, there were 275 active confirmed cases, with 49 hospitalizations, and there were 11 active outbreaks in Waterloo’s congregate care settings, hospitals and long-term care homes.

Huron Perth: As of October 12, there were 4 patients hospitalized with COVID-19. There are 2 active outbreaks in long-term care, 2 in congregate care settings and 5 active outbreaks in retirement homes in Huron Perth.

Haldimand-Norfolk: There are 10 active outbreaks in Haldimand-Norfolk’s long-term care homes, retirement homes, hospitals, congregate living settings and farms.

London-Middlesex:  As of October 17, there were 757 active cases in London-Middlesex and between October 13 and October 17, 4 people have died of COVID-19. There were 18 active outbreaks in LTC homes, hospitals and retirement communities.

Hamilton: As of October 18, there were 141 active confirmed cases in Hamilton. As of October 10, there have been 2 cases requiring hospitalization per day on average and as of October 12, there have been on average 19 active outbreaks per day.

Ottawa: As of October 16, there were 873 active confirmed cases of COVID-19, 36 of which are currently getting treatment in a hospital. There are currently 68 active outbreaks.

Renfrew: As of October 13, there were 125 active confirmed cases with 10 hospitalizations. There are also 7 active outbreaks in Renfrew’s hospitals, long-term care homes and hospitals.

York: As of October 18, 93 people in York region were hospitalized with COVID-19. There were 20 active outbreaks in York’s retirement homes, long-term care homes and hospitals.

Peterborough: As of October 5, there were 489 active confirmed cases in Peterborough, 33 of which are currently being hospitalized for COVID-19. There were 14 active outbreaks in Peterborough’s hospitals, long-term care homes and retirement homes.

Durham: From October 5- October 12, there were 343 new active confirmed COVID-19 cases, 5 patients were hospitalized, 1 patient ended up in ICU and there was 1 death from COVID-19.  There were 21 ongoing outbreaks in Durham’s long-term care homes, retirement homes, and hospitals.

Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District: Does not report case data, there are 5 active COVID-19 outbreaks in the area’s congregate care settings, long-term care, retirement homes and hospitals.

Hastings Prince Edward: As of October 18, there were 189 active confirmed cases, 35 of whom are currently hospitalized with COVID-19 and 3 are in ICU. There are 14 active outbreaks in Hastings-Prince Edward’s long-term care, hospitals and retirement homes.

Leeds, Grenville and Lanark:  As of October 18, there were 226 new confirmed cases, 15 people were hospitalized with COVID-19, 5 were in ICU and 1 was on a ventilator. There are 15 active outbreaks with 242 cases associated with them in the area’s hospitals, congregate care and community living facilities.

Kingston Frontenac Lennox & Addington:  As of October 18, there were 415 active confirmed cases, 24 of whom were hospitalized with COVID-19 and 6 were in ICU. There were 11 active outbreaks in KFL&A’s hospitals, long-term care, retirement homes and group homes.

Eastern Ontario: As of October 18, there were 16 people hospitalized for COVID-19, 3 of whom were in ICU.  There were 12 active outbreaks in Eastern Ontario’s facilities.

Simcoe-Muskoka: As of October 13, there were 748 active cases of COVID-19, 23 of whom were hospitalized for COVID-19, and 8 people have died from COVID-19 in the last week. There were 30 outbreaks in the area’s facilities.

Grey-Bruce: As of October 13, there were 89 active confirmed COVID-19 cases, 5 of whom are currently hospitalized with COVID-19.

Northwestern: There are 70 active confirmed COVID-19 cases and 4 active outbreaks in the Northwestern PHU.

Timiskaming: There are 78 active confirmed COVID-19 cases in Timiskaming, 12 of whom are currently hospitalized and 1 is in ICU.  There are 4 active outbreaks in long-term care, retirement homes and hospitals.

North Bay Parry Sound: As of October 12, there were 182 active confirmed cases, 22 of which are currently hospitalized and 4 outbreaks in long-term care, hospitals and retirement homes. North Bay Regional Health Centre has an outbreak with 22 cases associated with it.

Algoma: In the last week there were 215 new active confirmed cases in Algoma, there are 45 people hospitalized with COVID and 5 of them are in the ICU. There are 14 active outbreaks in Algoma’s hospitals, long-term care and retirement homes.

Sudbury: As of October 17, there were 295 active confirmed cases in the Sudbury area, 55 patients are currently hospitalized and 1 is in ICU. There were 14 active outbreaks in Sudbury’s hospitals, retirement homes and long-term care homes.

Porcupine:  As of October 12, there were 8 active outbreaks in the Porcupine PHU’s long-term care, hospitals, congregate care and retirement homes.

Thunder Bay: As of October 13, there were 234 active confirmed COVID-19 cases in Thunder Bay, 57 people were hospitalized for COVID-19 and 1 was in the ICU. There were 10 active outbreaks in Thunder Bay’s long-term care, hospitals, retirement homes and congregate care settings.

Brant County: As of October 18, there were 92 active confirmed cases in Brant County, 7 of whom have been hospitalized. There are 6 active outbreaks in Brant County’s hospitals, retirement homes and long-term care homes.

Peel: From October 14- October 18, there were 195 new active confirmed cases in Peel. On October 18 there were 15 active outbreaks in Peel’s long-term care and retirement homes.

October 21, 2022

Ontario Health Coalition Announces Our Highest Awards for 2022:

This year’s recipients have shown extraordinary commitment to safeguarding public health care and advocacy for long-term care residents and their families

Toronto – They contributed in unique ways, but each demonstrated extraordinary commitment to the public interest, the Ontario Health Coalition reported as it announced the winners of its highest awards. The awards celebrate the contributions of Ontarians who have made a remarkable contribution in public health care.

“This year we have faced enormous challenges in public health care. Each of our award winners have given extraordinarily of their time and effort in the public interest. They are beacons of hope. It is our honour to have worked with them and supported their efforts,” said Natalie Mehra, executive director of the Ontario Health Coalition.

The Ethel Meade Award awarded to Rabbi Shalom Schachter, Toronto

Ethel Meade was a long-standing advocate on health care issues. She was the Vice Chair of CareWatch (a home care advocacy group), a founder and chair of the Ontario Coalition of Senior Citizens’ Organizations, a founder and co-chair of the Ontario Health Coalition, a member of the Seniors’ Secretariat and the Ontario Association of Social Workers Committee on Issues of Aging, among many others. Her knowledge of the health system was encyclopaedic and she was consulted by governments at the municipal and provincial level, as well as by professional and community organizations, regarding the development of public policy in her areas of particular passion, including home and community care.

The Ethel Meade Award was created upon Ethel’s retirement from the Ontario Health Coalition Board of Directors and is given to the person whose research and/or policy work has made a crucial contribution to the public health care system and the fight to protect it.

The Ontario Health Coalition is pleased to name Rabbi Shalom Schachter as the recipient of the Ethel Meade Award. Shalom is an executive member of the Interfaith Social Reform Alliance Coalition and has had a successful career as a lawyer.  He is active in his faith community and has, for decades, advocated for improving long-term care.  Shalom’s research truly has contributed to advancing the public interest. He calculated the data for a seminal report on death rates in for-profit long-term care homes compared to non-profit and public homes after the first wave of the pandemic for the Ontario Health Coalition. From his work with us, media chains created their own databases and began to track this vital information, resulting in major change in media and public understanding of the impact of privatization in long-term care, and fundamentally changing the dialogue and policy options considered on this issue. Recently he helped calculate hours of care in Ontario’s long-term care homes from survey data across Ontario showing that care levels have not improved despite many promises by the Ford government. Shalom has spent many hours researching, giving advice and support, writing up his findings, helping to educate community groups, faith communities, politicians and others. We are deeply grateful for his exceptional expertise and commitment.

The Daniel Benedict Award awarded to Barb Hogg & Brit Hancock from the Guelph Health Coalition; Linda Mackenzie-Nicholas from the Northumberland Health Coalition; Mary-Jo Nabuurs, Michelle Robidoux & Julie Perl from the Greater Toronto Health Coalition; Jim Stewart and the Waterloo Health Coalition; and Matthew Gventer and Joan Jardin from the Kingston Health Coalition.

Daniel Benedict was awarded the Order of Canada in 1998 for his many contributions for social justice, public health care, justice for seniors, workers’ rights and education, and as a tireless advocate in the cause of international solidarity and global equity. He served as co-chair of the Ontario Health Coalition and was a founding member. He also served on the boards of a number of large seniors’ organizations in which he was a leader in the struggle to safeguard public health care, improve community and long-term care, and stop cuts and privatization. Dan spoke seven languages, had a Doctorate in Economics, and made inspiring contributions to workers’ education in Latin America and in Canada. He is remembered around the globe for his contribution to social justice in America, Latin America and Europe.

The Daniel Benedict Award is given annually to the person or persons who – working with one of the local health coalitions – best embodies Dan Benedict’s spirit of extraordinary community activism and commitment to the protection and extension of Public Medicare.

Barb Hogg and Brit Hancock are the co-chairs of the newly formed Guelph District Health Coalition. They have stepped up and led the fight to protect public health care in their community, building a new regional health coalition, spending hours learning the issues, tirelessly engaging in public education and advocacy, driving across the counties in the region delivering information and public education, attending events, doing outreach and working with local media.  Brit also advances at every opportunity the equity issues impacting persons with disabilities. Barb has a huge sense of community responsibility and compassion, and brings that to all the aspects of her work.  Both of these women have shown truly remarkable commitment to safeguarding and improving health care in their community.

Linda Mackenzie-Nicholas is the chair of the Northumberland Health Coalition.  She has dedicated her whole life to educating and advocating for social change and improved conditions for health care workers and patients. She has helped to stop cuts to local hospital services, and throughout the pandemic has led regional work to improve care and conditions in long-term care. Linda designed and developed a major survey which she organized to have distributed to long-term care staff across Northumberland, Peterborough, the Kawarthas and Haliburton on conditions in long-term care homes. She organized the regional release of a major report based on the surveys, advocating for improved care levels. She has tirelessly led the fightback against the privatization of health care in Northumberland.

Mary-Jo Nabuurs, Julie Perl and Michelle Robidoux are members of the Greater Toronto Health Coalition.  They have organized and attended numerous rallies and protests to improve care in long-term care. Mary-Jo has led movements to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and protect the public. Michelle has not only done weekly public market tables, developed public education and advocacy materials, and organized people to join in the fight to protect public health care and stop privatization, but she has also been instrumental in advocating for abortion rights, peace and social justice. Julie has been tireless, advocating for her mother and all Ontarians in long-term care to address the care crisis.  She is always there, always exceptionally helpful, engages her family council and others, and speaks out with remarkable courage.

Jim Stewart is the chair of the Kitchener-Waterloo Health Coalition.  He has led community organizing and advocacy to improve public health care and stop privatization. He has inspired and organized dozens of pop up events, organized a truly impressive team of organizers and advocated to stop the privatization of the local hospitals. His hard work, leadership, skills and commitment are truly exceptional and have helped local health coalitions all across Ontario.

Matthew Gventer and Joan Jardin are leaders in the Kingston Health Coalition.  They have hosted events three times a week at busy intersections across Kingston for months. Their commitment to educating and organizing the Kingston community has been unflagging. They have worked to defend public health care, organized public meetings and events on the care crisis in long-term care, helped to conduct local actions, held press conferences and referendums to stop privatization and cuts, wrote articles, conducted public outreach and developed really exceptional public education and advocacy materials.

The Orville Thacker Award awarded to Bonnie Roe, Haliburton Long-Term Care Coalition; Helen Lee, Halton Health Coalition; and Dr Vivian Stamatopoulos, Toronto advocate for the elderly.  

Orville was deeply committed to social issues affecting Canadian families, and in particular, seniors. He was a member of Ontario Health Coalition and a founder and co-chair of Kitchener Waterloo Regional Health Coalition.  He was a veteran, active in the legion, a tireless political campaigner and a stalwart advocate for social justice.

The Orville Thacker award recognizes exceptional commitment and contribution to improving quality public health care for the elderly in Ontario. It is awarded to a person or organization whose voluntary contribution supports the fundamental principles in the Canada Health Act – principles of fairness, equity and compassion – that underlie Public Medicare in Canada.

Bonnie Roe is the chair and founder of the Haliburton Highlands Long-Term Care Coalition and has been a formidable force in protecting public health care and in particular, long-term care residents in her community. She has organized a very active and effective local coalition, met with local politicians, developed petitions garnering thousands of signatures to improve long-term care, organized and attended countless events to highlight the care crisis in long-term care, and much more. Her commitment to her community is truly extraordinary.

Helen Lee was the chair of the Family Council at Mon Sheong and has long been an exceptional advocate for rights for the elderly and long-term care residents. Helen’s grandmother died in long-term care after contracting COVID-19. Helen is active in the Chinese community and has worked tirelessly to educate and spread awareness among the family councils and Chinese community about conditions in long-term care. Helen has helped to organize surveys about conditions of living and care, organized public advocacy events several times per week in Halton, did outreach to family councils and an array of organizations to get them involved. Helen cares deeply about the elderly and about our public health care system and has given of her time, her exceptional talents and her heart to help.

Dr. Vivian Stamatopoulos is an extraordinary advocate for the elderly, particularly in long-term care. In her professional life, she has conducted a major new study on family caregivers. After her grandmother died just prior to the pandemic in long-term care, like the other awardees, Dr. V, as she is affectionately known, became an effective spokesperson calling out the poor conditions of living and care. She is indefatigable, working daily to push issues and pressure politicians. She has organized families and been their voice. Fearless and relentlessly honest, Dr. V’s contribution to the struggle to protect and improve care, and stop privatization, has been truly exceptional.

It is our privilege to recognize these remarkable people. They are heroes in our province and we are proud to work with them.