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Rally braves freezing cold to support nurse

"We want to shine a light on this in front of the government."

About 40 people gathered in minus 23 degree weather outside MPP Vic Fedeli's office at noon today to support fired nurse Sue McIntyre.

The North Bay nurse was terminated after she spoke up about employer reprisals against hospital staff who report attacks from patients.

See related story: Rally planned for fired nurse

A number of speakers not only called for McIntyre's reinstatement, but for proper provincial funding for North Bay's hospital.

During the rally, Fedeli was called upon to raise McIntyre's case in the legislature.

"I can tell you that next week I'll be returning to Queen's Park and I'll be calling for an expedited review of the pending grievance. I want to get this in front of an arbitrator as quickly as possible," Fedeli told reporters.

"The underlying problem here is about the cuts to the hospital. On the pre-budget consultations we toured all of Ontario. We heard the word 'violence' 30 times in these five cities. And it was always from health care workers or correctional facility workers, so it's obviously happening. We want to shine a light on this in front of the government."

Fedeli pointed to the 350 cuts at North Bay's hospital to frontline workers including 100 nurses.

"When you do that yu have less care, less service, less people there and you make a situation where it negatively affects both the workers and the patients."

"The ministry of health should take a very close look at the actions of the management of this hospital and the climate of fear that exists there,” says Michael Hurley the president of OCHU

Today's rally is the first of several events planned this month. Supporters from across the province are heading to North Bay for a rally on Monday, February 29, at noon at the hospital.

Meanwhile, Hurley, will tell the province’s finance and economic affairs committee, at the pre-budget consultation Wednesday, January 21, in Sudbury, that hundreds of ill patients in northeastern Ontario are affected by widespread and accelerating cuts to care, hospital services and beds.

In a news release, Hurley states that, "Despite the provincial Liberal government’s insistence that there are no cuts to health care, their zero funding increase policy for hospitals is taking its toll. Ontario community hospitals in the northeast have been particularly hard-hit.  The trail of cuts to beds, services, care and jobs is extensive."

Last spring the North Bay hospital began a $30 million cut to beds, including to mental health beds, and eliminating hundreds of nursing and personal support workers (PSWs) positions.  The most recent of these cuts includes 75 job cuts and the closure of eight mental health beds.

"Temiskaming Shores is proposing a cut of 18,000 nursing hours and closing the operating room half the time" said Hurley.


Jeff Turl

About the Author: Jeff Turl

Jeff is a veteran of the news biz. He's spent a lengthy career in TV, radio, print and online, covering both news and sports. He enjoys free time riding motorcycles and spoiling grandchildren.
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