The Ontario Health Coalition has recruited a distinguished panel of experts to tour the province in March in order to hear from the public their concerns around rural and northern health care.
The non-partisan OHC panel was put together after the province’s own panel on rural and northern health refused to undertake public hearings.
Filling in the gap, the OHC panel plans to visit 12 communities across the province to hear from individuals and organizations about the impact of recent changes, the gaps that exist in accessing care, and the role of the local hospital in providing health care to the community.
Locals wishing to present
Locals or individuals wishing to present before the panel should contact the Ontario Health Coalition and book a time and location. You don’t have to have your submission completed to book your time. Written submissions can also be sent to the Ontario Health Coalition.
There will be an opportunity for individuals to show up and make unscheduled presentations. Presentations should be no more than 10 minutes.
The meetings are intended to be a blend of town hall forum and public hearing.
The panellist will issue a final report on the findings later this spring.
Panelists include:
Dr. Claudette Chase: Dr. Chase has spent most of her 15 years as a family physician serving remote First Nations communities and working in small rural hospitals. She was on the founding executive for Canadian Doctors for Medicare.
The Honourable Roger Galloway: Galloway is the former Liberal MP for Sarnia Lambton. He now teaches at Sarnia’s Lambton College.
France Gelinas: Gelinas is the MPP for Nickel Belt and the NDP health critic. She is a licensed physiotherapist and former President of the Association of Ontario Health Centres.
Dr. Tim MacDonald: MacDonald is a decorated serviceman and surgeon originally from Glasgow, Scotland. He currently runs the Charlotte Englehart ER in Petrolia, and in the past has served as the hospital’s Chief of Staff. He is a former coroner for the province.
Barb Proctor: Proctor has been a registered nurse for more than four decades. She is chair of the Friends of the Prince Edward County Health Services, the appointed chair of the Municipal Healthcare Advisory Committee for Prince Edward County. She was recently appointed municipal advisor to the Quinte Healthcare board.
Kay Tod: Tod is a retired nurse serving in a variety of rural and larger hospitals. She is the past president and founder of Emergency Nurses of Niagara. She has also been an executive member of the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario. She has served on the board of management of a Home for the Aged in Parry Sound and is a founding member of the Friends of the Burk’s Falls and District Health Centre.
The panellists will be joined by Natalie Mehra, Director of the Ontario Health Coalition.
A selection of five of these panellists will be at each meeting. Panelists may be subject to change.
Dates and locations include:
Wallaceburg
Thursday, March 4, 3-6:30 pm / Oaks Inn, 80 McNaughton Ave.
Deadline for booking presentations: Friday, February 26 at 5 pm.
Shelburne
Friday, March 5, 3-6:30 pm / Grace Tipling Hall, 203 Main St. E.
Deadline for booking presentations: February 26 at 5 pm
Kincardine
Saturday, March 6, 12 Noon – 3:30 pm / The Davidson Centre, 601 Durham St.
Deadline for booking presentations: February 26 at 5 pm
Welland
Tuesday, March 9, 3-6:30 pm / Lion’s Club, 414 River Rd.
Deadline for booking presentations: March 1 at 5 pm
Cobourg
Wednesday, March 10, 3-6:30 pm / Lion’s Club, 157 Elgin St. E.
Deadline for booking presentations: March 1 at 5 pm
Port Perry
Thursday, March 11, 3-6:30 pm / Greenback Centennial Hall, 19965 Hwy 12
Deadline for booking presentations: March 1 at 5 pm
Haliburton
Friday, March 12, 3-6:30 pm / Minden Arena, 55 Parkside Ave.
Deadline for booking presentations: March 1 at 5 pm
Burk’s Falls
Saturday, March 13, 12 Noon – 3:30 pm / Arena, 220 Centre St.
Deadline for booking presentations: March 1 at 5 pm
Winchester
Tuesday, March 23, 3 – 6:30 pm / Chesterville Community Hall, 1 Mill St., Chesterville
Deadline for booking presentations: March 15 at 5 pm
Picton
Wednesday, March 24, 5-8:30 pm / Town Hall, 72 King St.
Deadline for booking presentations: March 15 at 5 pm
St. Joseph’s Island
Friday, March 26, 3-6:30 pm / Johnson Township Arena, 1 Johnson Dr., Desbarats
Deadline for booking presentations: March 15 at 5 pm
New Liskeard
Saturday, March 27, 1-4:30 pm / Quality Inn, 998009 Highway 11
Deadline for booking presentations: March 15 at 5 pm
To contact the Ontario Health Coalition in Toronto, call 416-441-2502 or e-mail ohc@sympatico.ca
OPSEU Diablogue 
I cannot stress the importance of you standing up and making a presentation to this panel. What better way to stand up and make your specific issues know?
We, with OPSEU made a presentation to a similiar panel relating to the issues in Home Care.
Not only were we welcomed by the local media, but several of our issues were identified in the final report. (Special thanks to Rick).
If your having difficulty with the wording than ask for help. Deadlines will soon be upon us. Nothing the government likes better than no response from the public on issues.
You can make changes. A group of OPSEU nurses, office, PSW’s and volunteer staff caused a provincial wide hold on the competitive bidding process. Lets stop this.
Remember…if your not part of the solution….