TORONTO, Nov. 29, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Over the past year, the Ford government has been moving forward with a plan to award tens of thousands of long-term care beds to for-profit operators, among them those with the most horrific records during the pandemic. Rather than hold for-profit operators accountable for the horrors that we continue to see in long-term care, they are being awarded new 30-year licenses and bed expansions paid by public funds.
The Ontario Health Coalition and local health coalitions are joined by families of loved ones in for-profit long-term care to release a new report, Public Money Private Profit: The Ford Government & the Privatization of the Next Generation of Ontario’s Long-Term Care, across Ontario from Monday November 29 to Friday December 3.
Each regional media conference will feature the regional and local information about the thousands of new and redeveloped long-term care beds being awarded to for-profit companies in their area, family members of residents who have died or are currently living in for-profit long-term care, and the record of those operators in the region.
Media are invited to join the online press conferences by Zoom using the links below.
Monday November 29
Toronto at 10 am
Join Zoom Meeting at: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84736556288?pwd=THdlbWc0TDA2c3p5S25iWHczR2N5QT09
Meeting ID: 847 3655 6288 Passcode: 747466
Speakers include:
Natalie Mehra: Ontario Health Coalition Executive Director
Doris Wai: whose grandmother passed away at Tendercare LTC
Nick Puopolo: mother in long-term care, Sienna Woodbridge Vista and Sienna Family Council Chair
David Runions: Fox Ridge Care Community Family Council Chair
Reed Zhao: whose grandmother passed away at Tendercare LTC
Tuesday November 30
Kitchener-Waterloo at 10 am
Join Zoom Meeting at: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86297666822?pwd=anZhRGJ6NWRPMjZpT2VidHR0N1g0UT09
Meeting ID: 862 9766 6822 Passcode: 510334
Speakers include:
Jim Stewart: Waterloo Region Health Coalition Chair
Susan Watson: Family member, father passed away in a for-profit long-term care facility
Gail Roussy: Family member who will speak about her experiences with long-term care
Jean Kheul: Retired RN who worked in long-term care
Marilyn Hay: Chair Council of Canadians (Kitchener Waterloo Chapter)
Tuesday November 30
Chatham-Kent, London, Oxford County, Windsor at 10 am
Join Zoom Meeting at: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86067076616?pwd=UE1md0g4dUREelE3dDAxOVdEOGZvdz09
Meeting ID: 860 6707 6616 Passcode: 071919
Speakers include:
Peter Bergmanis: Co-chair of the London Health Coalition
Shirley Roebuck: Chair of the Chatham-Kent Health Coalition
Bryan J. Smith: Oxford Health Coalition representative
Liz Daniels: father was at Banwell Gardens, Windsor
Kathy Cottingham: LTC advocacy group, Tilbury
Donna Benoit: whose mother is at Tilbury Manor
Donnafaye Milton: Revera home family council chair, London
Wednesday December 1
Burlington, Hamilton, Niagara, Oakville at 10 am
Join Zoom Meeting at: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89473099826?pwd=WkljY3o1NUFpTVZxSWtUNHpLL0h2Zz09
Meeting ID: 894 7309 9826 Passcode: 351068
Speakers include:
Janina Lebon: Hamilton Health Coalition Co-chair
Sue Hotte: Niagara Health Coalition Chair
Mervyn Russell: Health Coalition representative in Oakville
Sandra Caleta: mother passed away at Hardy Terrace, Brantford
Jo-Anne Beggs: mother passed away and father in a Revera home, Oakville
Julia Blushak: family member, Extendicare, St. Catharines
Thursday December 2
Durham, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland at 10 am
Join Zoom Meeting at: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83924299914?pwd=RDJjZ3ZDMi8wWE5pdzB1QkdkQklDQT09
Meeting ID: 839 2429 9914 Passcode: 016323
Speakers include:
Zac Miller: Kawartha Lakes Health Coalition Co-Chair
Charlie Courneyea: Durham Health Coalition Co-Chair
Cathy Parkes: father passed away, Orchard Villa, Pickering
Jan Paul-Tibensky: mother has been in three for-profit LTC homes in the region
Maureen McDermott: mother passed away, River Glen Haven, Sutton
June Morrison: father passed away, Orchard Villa, Pickering
Dorlene Lin: father is in Warkworth Place
Thursday December 2
Cornwall, Kingston, Ottawa at 10 am
Join Zoom Meeting at: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88100289300?pwd=Nno4Z2NrT3BlQ3hwSy9PdkZYbjNFUT09
Meeting ID: 881 0028 9300 Passcode: 419121
Speakers include:
Elaine MacDonald: Cornwall Health Coalition representative
Matthew Gventer: Kingston Health Coalition Chair
Ed Cashman: Ottawa Health Coalition Co-Chair and French-speaking representative
Mary Catherine McCarthy: Ottawa Health Coalition Co-Chair and English-speaking representative
Betty Yakimenko: mother is in Sienna Madonna Care Community
Donna Loney: LTC worker, Ottawa
Friday December 3
Blind River, North Bay, Sudbury at 10 am
Join Zoom Meeting at: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83509820050?pwd=dkdXVkdvMXRaZWZ6NHNyTHdPYy8wZz09
Meeting ID: 835 0982 0050 Passcode: 436737
More information on speakers to come.
Friday December 3
Thunder Bay at 10 am
Join Zoom Meeting at: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84680557036?pwd=SjNzMTg5NmU2V0d1UHdoSWxnYWV5UT09
Meeting ID: 846 8055 7036 Passcode: 610136
More information on speakers to come.
For more information:
Ontario and Toronto, Natalie Mehra executive director (416) 230-6402;
Kitchener-Waterloo, Jim Stewart (519) 588-5841;
Chatham, Shirley Roebuck (226) 402-2724; London, Peter Bergmanis (519) 860-4403; Oxford County, Bryan J. Smith (226)-228-8309;
Hamilton, Janina Lebon (905) 545-5514; Niagara, Sue Hotte (905) 932-1646; Oakville, Mervyn Russell (905) 845-3250;
Durham, Charlie Courneyea (416) 557-5935; Kawartha Lakes, Zac Miller (289) 356-7537;
Cornwall, Elaine MacDonald (613) 330-3117; Kingston, Matthew Gventer (613) 542-5834; Ottawa, Ed Cashman (343) 999-6886;
Blind River, Al Dupuis (613) 808-7710; North Bay, Henri Giroux (705)-471-7746; Sudbury, Dot Klein (705) 566-9072;
Thunder Bay, Jules Tupker (807) 577-5946.
