Dear Community,
Today was a solemn day in our province as Bill 60: Your Health Act was passed into law by the Ford government as part of their plan for privatization. This is despite patients, healthcare workers, hospitals, and all evidence warning what awaits Ontarians in bringing in a two-tiered health care system.
Longer wait times for patients, lower wages for workers, worse quality care and health outcomes, and higher costs - both upfront and on our tax bills. The only ones benefiting from this plan are a few wealthy shareholders who will profit off the human right to health care. These are the people Doug Ford works for. Not you or us.
That's not to say our public health care system is perfect. Far from, in fact, after decades of under-investment. But this Bill only makes it worse. Because every penny put to private for-profit health "care" is a penny removed from a public system -- a system where care, and care alone, is prioritized.
That's why we must remember today. Remember who Ford put first, and who he continues to put last.
Meanwhile, your Ontario NDP and I are marching forward in the fight for public health care, alongside workers and advocates across the province. My deepest thanks goes out to them for standing their ground against this government who continues to make it anything but easy.
Read our statement and find out how to get involved in keeping healthcare public!
This week is National Nursing Week! In answer to Beyonce's question "who run the world?" the answer is: NURSES!
Nurses play a CRITICAL role in our health care system, and this week is a time to not only celebrate their many incredible contributions, but to underscore the importance of nursing education, research, and policy, and to advocate for better working conditions and supports for nurses across Ontario.
Unfortunately, from Bill 124 to Bill 60, Doug Ford's legislation has proven time and again to be a slap in the face for those on the front lines of this profession during the worst public health crisis this generation has seen. Under his "leadership," our health care heroes have been gravely underpaid and continue to be driven out of the public system.
Your Ontario NDP is the party of universal health care, and that starts with how we treat our health care practitioners.
Across Ontario, we continue to celebrate Jewish Heritage Month
Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles, myself (Critic for Heritage) and MPP Lindo (Critic for Anti-Racism & Equity) released a statement this past Friday to mark the month long occasion.
While the month offers all Ontarians a chance to honour the countless contributions Jewish community has made to our province's culture & history, it also acts as a vital reminder of the hate Jewish people face to this day, and to recommit to stomping out antisemitism, once and for all.
Read how your Ontario NDP is celebrating Jewish Heritage Month & fighting hate.
Want to give your kid a front row seat to all that goes down at Queen's Park? Well, now's your chance through the Legislative Page Program, with applications open now until June 15, 2023.
Each year, grade 7 & 8 students are selected to take part in the coveted program, acting as aides to MPPs in the chambers, while also getting to see and learn of Ontario's parliamentary process, meet members from both sides of the aisle, and make friends from all across Ontario, Having seen t many students of St. Paul's take on the important role over the years, and hear the joy and lifelong memories they & their families made, I highly encourage your child's application.
Learn more of the program and how to apply here. If you have any questions, reach out via email at [email protected] or by phone at (416) 325-7457.
Each year across Ontario, thousands of lives are lost to overdoses. We need every level of government to prioritize implementing harm reduction strategies to combat these senseless deaths, and you can help.
As many of you know, Naloxone is a medication that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose, and these kits are FREE with training at participating pharmacies across the city. Together, we can prevent unnecessary deaths and work toward a more compassionate society that is safe safe for everyone.
Find a pharmacy with Naloxone kits near you, and make sure you can recognize the signs of an overdose.
On May 27, St. Michael & All Angels Church will be hosting their Community Buzz Day!
See below for an exciting concert put on by Wychwood Clarinet Choir!
In Solidarity,
Jill Andrew
Toronto-St. Paul's
