Media Advisory: Concerned residents mount protests outside Liberal MP offices nationwide for action against the threat of U.S. private health care

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Postmedia has not reviewed the content. by GlobeNewswire Article contentTORONTO, March 12, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — On Monday, March 16, people across Canada will rally outside the offices of their local Liberal Members of Parliament.Sign In or Create an AccountEmail AddressContinueor View more offersArticle contentThe nationwide Day of Action warns public health care for all in Canada is under unprecedented threat and calls on the federal government to enforce the Canada Health Act.Article contentWe apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Article contentHealth Coalitions have invited the Liberal MPs to join the event, speak to participants, support of the fightback against privatization, and commit to bring this issue back to their caucus in Ottawa as a priority.Article contentArticle contentRallies outside Liberal MP offices in Ontario as follows:Article contentTop StoriesGet the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.There was an error, please provide a valid email address.Sign UpBy signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.Thanks for signing up!A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againInterested in more newsletters? Browse here.Article contentAjax: Monday March 16 at 12 pm at MP Jennifer McKelvie’s office, 100 Old Kingston RdHamilton: Monday March 16 at 11 am at MP Aslam Rana’s office, 25 Charlton Ave ELondon: Monday March 16 at 11 am at The Hon Arielle Kayabaga’s office, 390 Commissioners Road WKingston: Friday March 20 at 12 pm at The Hon Mark Gerretsen’s office, 234 Concession StOttawa: Monday March 16 at 12 pm at Prime Minister Mark Carney’s constituency office, 240 Kennevale DrPeterborough: Monday March 16 at 12 pm at MP Emma Harrison’s office, 417 Bethune StreetToronto: Monday March 16 at 4:30 pm at MP Julie Dzerowicz’s office, 1202 Bloor St WWaterloo: Monday March 16 at 1 pm at The Hon Bardish Chagger’s office, 100 Regina St SArticle contentRallies across the country on Monday March 16 as follows:Article contentAlberta Calgary: 12 pm MST at MP Corey Hogan’s office, 1717 10th St NWEdmonton: 12 pm MST at The Hon Eleanor Olszewski’s office, 12220 Stony Plain Rd NWB.C. Vancouver: 9:30 am PST at The Hon Hedy Fry’s office, 1030 Denman StManitoba Winnipeg: 12 pm CST at Union Centre, 275 BroadwayQuebec Montréal: 12 pm ET at Minister of Health Marjorie Michel’s office, 1100 Boul Crémazie EP.E.I. Cornwall: 11 am AST at Cornwall Town Hall, 15 Mercedes DrArticle contentArticle contentAlberta’s Danielle Smith government has launched an unprecedented frontal assault on the Canada Health Act to end single tier Public Medicare & bring in U.S. private health care. The law brings in private for-profit health insurance, direct billing of patients, queue jumping for those who can afford it pushing everyone else back in line, workplace private health insurance plans and more. It is not “like” U.S. style health care. It is U.S. private health care, and for-profit health care interests are lined up to cash in.Article contentCloser to home, Ontario’s Premier Doug Ford is privatizing public hospitals and is allowing private clinics to charge patients thousands for needed care. By the government’s own numbers, their latest set of private clinics (some of which are essentially hospitals, a number of which are chain owned) aim to redirect 1.2 million patients away from public hospitals. While the government is giving hundreds of millions more to private clinics, it has pushed the majority of public hospitals into deficit in a direct transfer of public resources. Patients are already being charged more than $4,000 per eye in the private cataract surgery clinics that Ford brought in, in violation of our medicare protection laws.Trending CRA refused to cancel TFSA overcontribution tax Personal Finance 82 Canadians crack Forbes’ 2026 list of the world’s billionaires. Here's the top 10 High Net Worth What's next for Roots, the iconic Canadian brand that said it might put itself up for sale? Retail & Marketing Audit watchdog flags 'significant' problems in Big Four's work in review that actually names names Finance 'The bids just dried right up': Iran-driven oil shock ripples through Canadian economy News Article contentThe Health Coalitions are calling on the federal government to:Article contentTell Alberta’s Danielle Smith government that its health care privatization scheme contravenes the Canada Health Act and they will face a dollar-for-dollar clawback of federal health care funding if they proceed.Require that Ontario stop private clinics from charging patients for medically needed care.

The Canada Health Act prohibits user fees and extra-billing of patients, including direct and indirect charges. Thus, no private clinic can require payment for medically unnecessary things (such as extra lenses that do not have anything to do with cataracts) in order to get the medically needed service (such as cataract surgery). Selling queue-jumping for those who have the thousands of dollars available to pay, contravenes the requirement that all Canadians have access to health care based on medical need not wealth.Ensure that the carve-out of public health care in Canada under trade agreements will protect the rest of the country if Alberta contravenes the Act. Right now, we all risk losing public health care to U.S. for-profit insurance corporations if Alberta persists.Article contentFor more information: Natalie Mehra, Ontario Health Coalition executive director, (416) 230-6402.Article contentArticle contentArticle contentArticle contentArticle contentArticle contentShare this article in your social networkCommentsYou must be logged in to join the discussion or read more comments.Create an AccountSign in Join the Conversation Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information. CRA refused to cancel TFSA overcontribution tax Personal Finance 82 Canadians crack Forbes’ 2026 list of the world’s billionaires. Here's the top 10 High Net Worth What's next for Roots, the iconic Canadian brand that said it might put itself up for sale? Retail & Marketing Audit watchdog flags 'significant' problems in Big Four's work in review that actually names names Finance 'The bids just dried right up': Iran-driven oil shock ripples through Canadian economy News