Canadian actors Annie Murphy, Noah Reid, and Dani Kind latest to support the campaign to reform Ontario’s long-term care system

TORONTO, Sept. 10, 2020 /CNW/ – SEIU Healthcare, CUPE Ontario, and Unifor, unions that represent healthcare workers across the long-term care sector, are proud to welcome Annie Murphy (Schitt’s Creek), Noah Reid (Schitt’s Creek), and Dani Kind (Workin’ Moms) to the “Care Not Profits” advocacy campaign. They are the latest Canadian artists taking to social media to add their names to the growing chorus of voices calling on Premier Ford to end for-profit senior care.

“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. As COVID-19 numbers begin to rise again and we approach the upcoming flu season, our deepest appreciation goes out to these Canadian actors for using their voices for good. Along with Chantal Kreviazuk, The Sheepdogs, Basia Bulat, Born Ruffians, Tokyo Police Club, and Sarah Harmer who last month performed a “Care Not Profits” Facebook Live session for nearly 80,000 viewers in support of long-term care reform, their voices are making an immense impact.

QUOTES:

“The effects of the pandemic on our long-term care system have been nothing short of tragic. It’s time that we advocate for safer conditions for our aging parents, grandparents, and the workers who care for them: we must act urgently to end for-profit long-term care now.” – Annie Murphy

– Annie Murphy

“In Canada, we pride ourselves on a health care system that leaves no one behind, and yet some of our most vulnerable citizens and their caregivers have been living and working and dying in unthinkable circumstances during this pandemic, while companies who own the long-term care facilities are profiting at an alarming rate off their backs. Our elders and the people who look after them deserve better.”

– Noah Reid

“This campaign is important to me because our seniors paved the path for so many of us and it’s our job to advocate for them at this stage in their lives.”

– Dani Kind

“Culture and the arts have a way breaking through and reminding us what’s important as a society—and when it’s time for change. When it comes to long-term care, the time for change is now, and we’re so excited to welcome these talented actors to our advocacy campaign. Annie Murphy, Noah Reid and Dani Kind are using their platform to shine a light on the change we need to finally put senior care before the profits of big nursing home corporations. COVID-19 has opened our eyes to what really matters in society. It’s time for Premier Ford to listen and choose whose side he’s on: the side of families working and living in long-term care, or the side of wealthy executives and shareholders profiting from Ontario’s broken system.”

– 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

“The support that our Care Not Profits campaign has received from Canadian musicians and actors has been incredible to say the least. The Ontario government and particularly Premier Doug Ford needs to start making concrete changes to Ontario’s long-suffering long-term care system to end for-profit care for our most vulnerable.”

– 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