KINGSTON HEALTH COALITION
February 26, 2003
Next meeting: Thursday, March 13th, 6:30 p.m., Hotel Dieu, Rm. C252
MRI clinic: Here in Kingston 17 radiologists got the contract. It is expected to open in Blackburn Mews plaza by March 31st (probably too optimistic). Whig’s article claims that private MRI clinic will be 36% cheaper. It is difficult to understand how did they come up with this figure. Ontario is currently 150 radiologists short. Private clinics will make this situation even worse (better pay, easier cases, less shift work). Sunnybrook cancer clinic: One victory – for profit cancer clinic has been canceled this week.Campaign:
March 18th – launching of the three weeks long Pledge Campaign. Marijana and Marilyn will organize the campaign.
Material (pledge cards, brochure/window sign) is expected to be out by approx. March 7th. We need to stamp brochure with our phone number (374-5258).
If the material arrives early we will start to distribute it right away.
Marijana will organize press conference (March 18th, 10:30 a.m.). Ross will ask Christine to chair the conference. Ross will forward e-mails/phones of those who took part in the press conference last spring.
Distributed pledge cards have to be collected and sent to Toronto by April 8th.
We will try to set a mall table, street table and/or farmers’ market table.
Ross will do broadcast fax re. pledge cards and cavalcade.Saturday, April 5th – in Kingston cavalcade gathering at 10 a.m.
We will join cars and buses coming from Cornwal and Brockville and will be joined by cars and buses from other cities on the way to Toronto. Cavalcades will enter Toronto from all four sides and will join a rally @ 2 p.m.
Finances: Richard stated that the government will spend $35 billions on health and $350 000 billions on interests to private banks. The Bank of Canada hasn’t been used since 1974. Getting 25% of finances from the Bank of Canada would bring extra $18 billions. He suggested that somebody from Health Coalition liaise with the Committee on Monetary and Economic Reform – COMER to work on changing governments’ polices. Anybody who wants to learn more is invited to COMER meeting, Sunday, March 9, 1:30 p.m., 99 York St. (or second Sunday of the month, same location).