Kingston –Today, current and former patients of St. Mary’s hospital cut the ribbon to officially open the ‘Keep Our Hospitals Public’ campaign office. The office will be the focal point of a four week community discussion on whether Kingston’s new hospital should be public or a for-profit P3 hospital. On April 13, to help answer this question, a community-wide vote will be held.
“We asked patients to cut the ribbon because this campaign, at its heart, is about patient care,” explained Ross Sutherland, campaign manager. “A publicly funded, operated and maintained hospital will provide a broader range of better quality services to patients when they need it.”
The 15 organizations currently supporting the campaign are: the Kingston Faith and Justice Coalition, the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario, the Ontario Public Service Employees Union, the Committee on Monetary and Economic Reform, the Canadian Union of Public Employees, the Kingston Greens, Kingston and the Islands NDP, the Council of Canadians, the Union of Nation Defense Employees, the Ontario Health Coalition, the Ontario Nurses’ Association, the Medical Reform Group, the Public Service Alliance of Canada, the Kingston and District Labour Council and the Kingston Coalition Against Poverty.
The campaign office is located in LaSalle Mews, 303 Bagot Street, and will be open seven days a week for the next four weeks. The office hours are: Monday to Friday from 12 noon to 8pm, Saturday from 9am to 5pm, and Sunday from 12 noon to 4pm. The campaign’s phone number is 613-374-5211.
