NDP: Integrity Commissioner report reveals dramatic increase in private health care lobbying

QUEEN'S PARK- Ontario NDP Health Critic France Gélinas (Nickel Belt) released the following statement in response to the staggering 50 percent increase in lobbying of Ontario Health as reported by Ontario’s Integrity Commissioner:

"Privatized healthcare funnels taxpayer dollars directly into more expensive, lower quality care to line private companies' pockets. These profiteers heavily lobby the government, exploit health care workers and create all kinds of conflicts of interest.

The significant increase of 51% in lobbying activities over the past year raises serious questions about the transparency of Ford's government. Such a surge in lobbying efforts is concerning and suggests that something fishy is happening behind closed doors.

Creating a two-tier health care system does not help the two million Ontarians without access to a regular family doctor. Instead, it will create a bonanza of profits for insiders and donors with connections to the Conservative Party.

Patients using the public system will face longer wait times for necessary procedures, and the burden will extend to other sectors as public resources are diverted to less essential services.”