The focus of this year’s assembly will be on safeguarding public health care, the fight ahead to protect and rebuild public health care and how we can play a lead role in defining the future of health care delivery in Ontario. Following the provincial election, a $14 billion deficit and continuing corporate tax cuts will pose a severe threat to public services. On a national level, the Canada Health Accord is under threat. We invite you to join us as we look ahead to new challenges and opportunities, hear reports from local health coalitions from across the province and set goals and strategies for the coming year.
This year we will be holding the assembly and conference at the Sheraton Centre, located at 123 Queen Street West in Toronto, the assembly on Sat., Nov. 19th, from 10 am to 4 pm, the conference on Sun., Nov. 20th, from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm. Registration fees will be on a sliding scale from $0-$35 per day. Please see this flyer / registration form.
Also, we are currently accepting nominations for The Daniel Benedict Award and The Ethel Meade Award which will honour some of the many outstanding contributors to the fight to protect Public Medicare across the province. We hope that you will submit nominations, no later than Nov. 1, 2011, to 416-441-2502 or ohc@symaptico.ca
The Daniel Benedict Award
Daniel Benedict, a distinguished former Ontario Health Coalition board member who passed away in 2003, is remembered for his many contributions to a host of important social causes; such as, workers’ rights and education, social justice, quality public health care, justice for seniors and international solidarity. Dan was the recipient of the Order of Canada in 1998, a founding member and co-chair of the Ontario Health Coalition, as well as a valued board member of the Ontario Coalition of Senior Citizens’ Organizations and esteemed community activist.
The Daniel Benedict Award is presented annually to the person or persons who, working with one of the local health coalitions, best embodies Dan Benedict’s spirit of extraordinary community activism and commitment to the protection and extension of Public Medicare.
The Ethel Meade Award
Ethel Meade, PhD (Eng. Lit.), has been a long-standing community activist on health care issues and has held numerous leadership positions. Her knowledge of the health care system in Ontario is encyclopedic and she has been involved in developing policy options to benefit patients in her areas of particular passion, including home and community care.
Ethel has been a Co-Chair of the Older Women’s Network; both a Board member and Steering Committee Co-Chair at OCSCO (Ontario Coalition of Senior Citizens’ Organizations); Vice-Chair of Care WatchToronto; Past Chair and founding member of the Ontario Health Coalition; Member of Senior Secretariat Seniors’ Liaison Committee; and Member of the Ontario Association of Social Workers’ Committee on Issues of Aging.
The Ethel Meade Award was created upon Ethel’s retirement from the Ontario Health Coalition Board of Directors. The award is to be given to the person whose research and/or policy work has made a crucial contribution to the public health care system and the fight to protect it.
