Media Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

COALITION OF FAMILY PHYSICIANS OF ONTARIO EXPRESSES DEEP DISAPPOINTMENT OVER BILL 8;

CALLS NEW LEGISLATION ‘VERY DISTURBING' AND ‘AN AFFRONT TO HARD-WORKING, HONEST DOCTORS'

 INTRODUCTION

(June 9, 2004, Toronto, Ontario) – Dr. Douglas Mark, President of the Coalition of Family Physicians of Ontario (COFP), issued a statement today in reaction to the passing of Bill 8 ( the Commitment to the Future of Medicare Act ) on Monday, June 7, 2004. Despite the Coalition appearing before the Standing Committee on Justice and Social Policy and making submissions twice during the past six months, the McGuinty Government failed to make the necessary changes that would have made Bill 8 palatable for Ontario doctors.

"We're deeply disappointed that the Government has decided to go ahead and pass Bill 8 in its current form," Dr. Mark said. "This new legislation is very disturbing and an affront to hard-working, honest doctors in Ontario."

In particular, Dr. Mark pointed to the sections of Bill 8 that: a) deprive doctors of basic rights and freedoms by significantly limiting how they can be employed, and thus appear to be in violation of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms; b) ensure doctors continue to have no legal framework for negotiations, as well as having no choice in their bargaining agent; and c) do not allow for dispute resolution or binding arbitration, which are fundamental, basic negotiation rights enjoyed by all other groups in society. All three of these items highlight the McGuinty Government's failure to understand the seriousness of these issues for all doctors. Dr. Mark further explained that the ‘punitive and arbitrary nature' of the legislation, as it currently stands, will do little to attract new doctors to the province or help keep the ones we already have. In fact, it will likely have the opposite affect, according to Dr. Mark, in that increasing numbers of doctors will now be more inclined to leave Ontario for more hospitable practice environments.

 
"By ignoring our warnings and going ahead with this legislation, the McGuinty Government has taken a bad situation and made it worse,” Dr. Mark said. “In light of this, Ontario family doctors – indeed, all Ontario doctors – have little choice but to launch a campaign to challenge Bill 8."

Although Dr. Mark refused to be specific as to the nature of the challenge to Bill 8, he did make it clear that the Coalition has instructed its legal counsel to investigate the feasibility of moving forward with either a Charter challenge or a class action suit against the McGuinty Government. Dr. Mark also revealed that the Coalition plans on approaching other physician groups in the hope of having them join the Coalition's campaign.

The Coalition of Family Physicians of Ontario, representing frontline providers of health care, is a grassroots organization dedicated to the provision of top quality health care to the people of Ontario. We strive to protect the rights, freedoms and independence of family physicians of Ontario and to continually improve the health-care system. To learn more, or to download their submissions to the Standing Committee on Justice and Social Policy regarding Bill 8, please visit the Coalition's Web site at www.cofp.com.

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