Community Safety Day message delivered

A crowd was out to Community Safety Day Saturday at the Peach King Centre in Grimsby. It was a chance to interact with local community safety heroes, get up close to emergency vehicles, big machines and trucks, watch live demonstrations and enjoy a barbecue with the Grimsby Lions Club.

Rerouting health care money wrong path: Turcotte

In December 1958, our four-year-old son came out of the hospital for the last time.

He had suffered frequently from severe asthma.

Our insurance coverage had long ago run out. We owed the hospital $11,000, a lot of money in 1958.

On Jan. 1, 1959, OHIP

A Small Drop of Ink

By Dorothy Turcotte

came into effect. We were so grateful that no more would be added to our debt! OHIP was a boon to all Ontarians.

Now Premier Doug Ford wants to take a step toward for-profit privatization of our public healthcare system.

We already have private x-ray, ultrasound and colonoscopy clinics which allow quicker appointments than would be possible in publicly funded hospitals. Mr. Ford wants to extend that to include clinics to do surgeries and more advanced diagnostics. This will take money away from our public healthcare system and funnel it to commercial interests that will have no oversight to guarantee the safety and integrity of their services.

Healthcare professionals in Ontario are appalled, and so should we be. Bill 60 authorizing this passed on May 8, 2023, but you can still register your displeasure.

If you believe that this is not the right way for Ontario to proceed with healthcare, please vote in the citizen-run vote to protest this blatant disregard for public opinion.

You can vote in just a few moments at: publichospitalvote.ca

You can vote in person at one of the local sites manned by volunteers this weekend, too. They are:

• Outside of Shear Image Salon, 155 Main St. E., Grimsby (Meridian Plaza) - Friday, May 26 9:30-5 and May 27, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

• Special Effects Picture Framing (beside Food Basics) 63 Main St. W., Grimsby - Friday May 26 9:00 -- 5:00 and Saturday May 27 9:00 -- 3:00

• Livingston Activity Centre, library room

-- (between Shopper’s Drug Mart & Central School) 18 Livingston Ave. - Friday, May 26 Noon-6 p.m.

Let Doug Ford know that by electing him, you did not give him a blank cheque to dismantle our healthcare system. Be sure to vote!