Push to provide healthcare to all Ontarians, regardless of immigration status

Putting a stop to the unfair denial of healthcare.

That is the goal of a new campaign called ”OHIP for all,” which held rallies in six cities across the province to call on the Ontario government to give every person in our province the right to coverage, regardless of their immigration status.

Organizers say an estimated 200,000 people in Ontario have had their access to healthcare denied, which equates to nearly the entire city of Kitchener.

Brendan Lew, a McMaster medical student and man behind the Kitchener rally, says whether you’re a new immigrant, international student, or even a returning Canadian citizen, you should have the same rights to healthcare as everyone else.

”There is, effectively, a hidden city of Kitchener in Ontario that is not accessing the proper care which is just a bewildering number. That is so scary that there are that many people who are unable to access the healthcare that they need and deserve,” said Lew.

He adds, many people who were denied coverage have delayed seeking care, been refused care altogether, and in some cases even died as a result of being uninsured.

More information on the campaign, including some of the stories people have written outlining their struggle, can be found here.

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