TORONTO — SEIU Healthcare, CUPE Ontario, and Unifor, unions that represent healthcare workers across the long-term care sector, are proud to welcome Chantal Kreviazuk, The Sheepdogs, Basia Bulat, Born Ruffians, and Tokyo Police Club as the latest Canadian musicians to add their voice to our growing “Care Not Profits” campaign to reform Ontario’s long-term care system by encouraging fans through social media to take action and sign the letter to Premier Ford.
“Care Not Profits” is an invitation to everyone in our province to call on Premier Ford to end the failed experiment of for-profit long-term care delivery. Our deepest appreciation goes out to these amazingly talented artists for using their voices for good, along with Sarah Harmer who last week performed a “Care Not Profits” Facebook Live session for over 30,000 viewers in support of long-term care reform, which can be streamed here.
QUOTES:
“The time for action to reform our long-term care system is now. Workers know it. Families know it. And these proud Canadian musicians know it. We can no longer accept anti-care policies that cater to the profits of a few major nursing home corporations. Even as residents and workers were dying during the pandemic, companies like Chartwell, Extendicare, and Sienna continued to pay shareholders millions of dollars in dividends. Premier Ford must act now to give healthcare workers the support they need to deliver quality care for our most vulnerable. That means full-time jobs with higher wages, increased staffing levels, and the end to tax-payer funded for-profit long-term care.”
– Sharleen Stewart, President, SEIU Healthcare
“This pandemic has only exposed and deepened an existing crisis in long-term care. And one thing it revealed is that the for-profit homes were the most dangerous sites for our elders. We need to do better – we need a complete overhaul of the system so that this never happens again. That’s why I’m so happy to see that the message is spreading and that more artists are joining us in this effort. Together, we will end for-profit care and create a system that our elders deserve.”
– Candace Rennick, Secretary-Treasurer, CUPE Ontario
“Music has a way of touching our souls. We hope the contributions of these talented Canadian artists and the growing chorus of concerned citizens demanding Care Not Profits can move the hearts and minds of Premier Ford and his team to finally make concrete change to Ontario’s long-suffering long-term care system. We can’t wait any longer for government to end for-profit care and fund dignified living conditions for our most vulnerable while respecting the people who dutifully care for them.”
– Jerry Dias, National President, Unifor
BACKGROUND ON THE “CARE NOT PROFITS” CAMPAIGN:
During the COVID-19 crisis, Ontario’s worst hit nursing homes were all for-profit facilities. Data tells us that for-profit long-term care corporations have 17 per cent fewer staff than non-profit nursing homes. Yet, while families and care staff were dying throughout the pandemic, three of the largest long-term care businesses combined paid shareholders more than $58 million in dividends in the past three months alone. These are facts.
The new, 60-second ad called “Care Not Profits” originally launched on July 23rd.
To view the ad and learn more, visit carenotprofits.ca
The full, high-definition broadcast from this morning’s campaign launch, including the 60-second ad, is available for media to download here: https://bit.ly/39lxVfU