Union fights for better health care in the North

NORTH BAY — Henri Giroux stood up in front of a crowd of close to 50 supporters and began to sing.

“We need a new health care accord now,” chanted the president of the North Bay and District CUPE/Labour Council.

In his hands, Giroux held a very large envelope addressed to local MP Jay Aspin.

“It’s been one year since Mr. Harper hasn't signed the Health Accord, we want him to sign it because it means we are going to get $36 billion less in Canada and that means $14 billion less money for Ontario to operate so therefore we are here today a year later again to ask Mr. Harper to sign this Health Accord because its very important for the Canadian.”

This event is one of many events being held across the country on this National Day of Action. At this event which included hospital workers from Timmins and Sudbury, supporters signed a letter asking for the health accord to be signed.

“It is one year since the death of the Health Accord, and we are hoping this is going to grow and grow up to the election to make this an election issue, because Mr. Harper needs to sign this Health Accord.”

Sharon Richer travels the province and is seeing first hand how Northern Ontario hospitals are falling apart. She visited New Liskeard Monday, where the area hospital is only using the operating room every other day now, she said.

“Currently the hospitals are over run, the wait times are soaring, staff are having a tough time keeping the place clean,” said Richer, the Northern Ontario vice president of the Ontario Council for Hospital Unions.

While the message was mainly federal, the North Bay Bay Health Coalition joined in the rally looking for signatures to support from Queen’s Park for more health-care funding in the region.

“We have a strong message here from both sides: It's all together, it’s all health care, and we are saying that we sign this Health Accord.”