CORNWALL, Ontario – The Cornwall and District Labour Council (CDLC) was protesting in solidarity with the Ontario Federation of Labour which has organized province wide demonstrations against cuts proposed by Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservative government to education and healthcare.
The protest took place from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. and again from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. on the corner of Second St. and Glengarry Blvd. in Cornwall.
“We’re trying to tell people that contrary what Ford has said there will be cuts,” said CDLC President Louise Lanctot. “We are concerned about privatization of education and healthcare.”
Lanctot claims that the Ford Government has opened the door to privatization of healthcare by moving to eliminate Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs) in favour of one super-agency which she claims would have the discretion to privatize services. She further points to the recent announcement of the Ford Government to reduce the number of services covered under OHIP, Ontario’s provincial health insurance, including sedation for colonoscopy’s as evidence of the province opening the door to privatization.
“He believes the worse he makes services, the more people will want to pay for other things out of pocket,” said Lanctot.
This particular point on colonoscopies lead to a petition on Change.org that Ford himself be the first to undergo such a procedure.
Lanctot further stated that the Ford Government was purposefully undermining education as an excuse to make cuts and privatize.
“By all international measures, the Ontario education system is one of the best in the world,” said Lanctot, herself a teacher with the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB).
Lanctot said that she hoped that the demonstration encouraged people with concerns to call the Premier and take action.
