Thousands cast their ballots in community-referendum on hospital privatization in Ontario
A "community-led" referendum is asking thousands of Ontarians to weigh in on whether the privatization of the province's healthcare system is good for the future.
Thousands of ballot boxes were placed in communities across Ontario on Friday and Saturday by the Ontario Health Coalition, asking residents to cast their ballots on whether they're for or against privatized care.
"I wanted to vote today (Saturday) because I think privatizing our public health system is completely wrong," said Lucille Trickett, a Simcoe County resident who went to cast her ballot in Barrie. "I lived in the United States for four years for work and had the unfortunate experience of having to go to the E.R., and when I got checked in, they immediately came up with a cart and asked for my credit card."
Simcoe County Health Coalition officials said the vote is part of a month-long campaign to educate the public about Bill 60, also known as the Your Health Act.
"There's been quite a few in the public who don't know exactly what's going on," said Daniel Burgoyne with the Simcoe County Health Coalition. "We've been finding a lot of the younger population especially. They're just kind of out of touch with that. But it is something to be known. It is going to be affecting us going forward."
Under the bill, for-profit and not-for-profit clinics will be allowed to conduct cataract surgeries, MRI and C.T. scans, minimally invasive gynecological surgeries, and knee and hip replacements under the Ontario Health Insurance Plan.
“Our government's Your Health Act strengthens the oversight of community surgical settings while protecting the stability of doctors, nurses and other health-care workers in our healthcare system," reads a statement from the Ministry of Health. "Bill 60 also strengthens the already robust framework for the oversight of community and surgical diagnostic centres, including a provision to bring these centres under the oversight of a patient ombudsman, and puts into law that Ontarians will always access insured services at community surgical and diagnostic centres with their OHIP card and never their credit card, consistent with the Canada Health Act."
Saturday was the final day to vote in the referendum. Locally, the health coalition hopes it collected at least 5,000 votes before revealing its results on Tuesday.
Provincially, the Ontario Health Coalition aimed to have over 1 million people cast their ballots.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Hunt for the gunman who killed UnitedHealthcare's CEO heads into third day as new clues emerge
As the investigation into a masked gunman who stalked and killed the head of one of the largest U.S. health insurers moved into its third day Friday, possible leads emerged about his travel before the shooting and a message scrawled on ammunition found at the crime scene.
Purolator, UPS pause shipments from couriers amid Canada Post strike
Purolator and UPS have paused shipments from some courier companies as they try to work through a deluge of deliveries brought on by the Canada Post strike.
Canadian unemployment rate jumps near 8-year high
Canada's unemployment rate rose more than expected to 6.8 per cent in November, a near-eight-year high excluding the pandemic years, even as the economy added a net 50,500 jobs, data showed on Friday, likely boosting chances of a large interest rate cut next week.
Salmonella cucumber recalls include products that may not be labelled: CFIA
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has published an expanded pair of recalls for cucumbers over risks of salmonella contamination.
Jasper family reunites with cat missing 100 days in the wilderness
Nicole Klopfenstein's four-year-old black and white tabby survived in the wilderness for more than 100 days after a ferocious wildfire forced the evacuation of the Rocky Mountain town of Jasper, Alta., this summer.
What is still being delivered? What to know about the Canada Post strike
With Canada Post workers on strike, many individuals and businesses are facing the challenge of sending and receiving mail. Here are the answers to some of Canadians’ most-asked questions.
Taylor Swift to play first Vancouver show tonight
It’s been a long time coming, but Taylor Swift’s first show in Vancouver has finally arrived.
80-year-old driver with expired licence accused of going nearly double the speed limit in eastern Ontario
Ontario Provincial Police say a man caught stunt driving on Highway 37 near Tweed, Ont. Thursday was 80 years old, and his licence was expired.
3 climbers from the U.S. and Canada are believed to have died in a fall on New Zealand's highest peak
Three mountain climbers — two from the U.S. and one from Canada — missing for five days on Aoraki, New Zealand's tallest peak, are believed to have died in a fall, the authorities said Friday.