3rd Annual NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION

June 16, 2014

 

Hamilton:  Meet at 1:00 pm in front of the regional Citizenship and Immigration office, 55 Bay Street North (map).

 

Join people across the country on Monday, June 16, 2014 to show our continued opposition to the Federal Conservative government’s cuts to refugee health care.

 

Many groups, representing a broad segment of Canadian society, have publicly opposed the cuts.  These include national health care organizations, all provincial health ministers, faith based groups and artists among others.   Editorials in major health care journals, including the Canadian Medical Association Journal (attached), have strongly expressed concern about the impact of these cuts on vulnerable populations.  A court challenge is in place.  The Canadian Doctors for Refugee Care has challenged Minister Chris Alexander to a public debate.  The Government continues to ignore the request from the health care community for a dialogue on the impact of these cuts.

 

On June 16, we need a large presence across the country to let the Conservative government know that we cannot support a policy of denying health care to needy people.  We will continue to stand up for some of the most defenceless people in our communities.

 

For information on the Hamilton demonstration, contact hamiltonnoifhcuts@gmail.com.

 

For information on other cities across Canada, see Canadian Doctors for Refugee Care.

 



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HEALTH FOR ALL CAMPAIGN: FILL THE IFH GAP



 

For information on the campaign, please visit the Health For All Website: 

 

 

​http://health4all.ca/FillTheIFHGap​

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Message posted on behalf of Health For All Toronto.



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Past Events

 



STORYTELLING THROUGH PHOTOGRAPHS: A GALLERY EVENT IN SOLIDARITY WITH REFUGEE HEALTH

​Friday, December 14, 2011  ​


H​amiltonians for Migrant and Refugee Health presents Storytelling Through Photographs, an Art Crawl event that will tell stories of refugees seeking healthcare in Canada, explore the barriers to health for newcomers, and examine the activist movement that has been born out of the struggle for equitable healthcare.

Date: Friday, December 14, 2011  from 7-11 pm (drop in)
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Venue: Christ's Church Cathedral, 252 James Street North, Hamilton, ON
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Facebook Event: http://www.facebook.com/events/173169116159000/?notif_t=plan_user_invited
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BACKGROUND: On June 30th, the federal government implemented a series of cuts to refugee healthcare that have left many newcomers without access to basic care. An unprecedented mobilization of the healthcare sector and community members subsequently took place in opposition to the cuts. Non-cooperation events, rallies, and sit-ins have been organized in Hamilton and across the country that have inspired many to speak out against the cuts. At refugee clinics in major cities, healthcare workers have been donating their time and energy to provide free care to new migrants, but with ongoing cuts and the number of uninsured people in Canada growing, these clinics can no longer keep up with overhead costs. On December 15th, Jason Kenney and the Harper government will have the power to create a Designated Country of Origin list, or so-called "safe country" list. This list will be used to discriminate against refugees based on their country of origin and fast-track deportations for individuals from DCO countries. Additionally, refugees from "safe-countries" will now only receive healthcare coverage if their condition is deemed a threat to public health or public safety. This is a call for ON-GOING mobilization of community members, allies, and healthcare providers in rejecting the cuts.
Representatives from Refuge, Hamilton's Centre for Newcomer Health, will also be at the event.

EVENT INFO: Pay What You Can. Proceeds to support Refuge clinic. The display will include photographs, newspaper clippings, and stories to illustrate the struggle for refugee health in Canada. We will also be participating in the Cards for Kenney Campaign, and will provide the opportunity for people to send seasonal cards to Jason Kenney with their "wish list" for reversing cuts to refugee health.

Postcards for Kenney Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rB0ftSonTJ4

This is family-friendly event.
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59 CENTS CAMPAIGN

December 2012​

Send Immigration Minister Jason Kenney a Holiday Postcard and ask him to restore all funding to the IFH Program. ​​
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rB0ftSonTJ4
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Message posted on behalf of the 59 Cents Campaign organizers. 



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WE REFUSE TO COOPERATE

​September 29, 1-4pm, Bayfront Park, Hamilton
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​WHO

Hamiltonians for Migrant Health calls on healthcare providers, community members, and allies to join the nation-wide 'We Refuse To Cooperate' campaign in solidarity with the Health Justice Collective of Montreal. We urge you to demonstrate your support for refugee health care in Canada by joining the campaign.

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HOW TO PARTICIPATE
Join us in person on Sept 29th, or
Add your voice to the campaign by uploading your photo:  http://collectifjusticesante-campagne.tumblr.com/.
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We encourage you to take your photos with signs that clearly convey that you will continue to provide services and care to migrants, despite the cuts to the Interim Federal Health Program and the ongoing exclusion of undocumented people from health services. Please remember to include your name and city, as well as the type of work that you do.
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You do not need to be a healthcare provider to participate!

We understand that for a variety of reasons, some individuals are not in a position to publicly post their photos despite being in opposition to these measures. If you find yourself in this situation, we encourage you to wear a mask, take a photo of the back of your head, or cover your face with the sign that you’ll be holding up.



​BACKGROUND

​On June 30th, government cuts to the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) took effect, leaving some refugee groups in Canada with limited to no access to health care. These changes are inhumane and threaten the health and dignity of migrant communities. Healthcare providers and community members across Canada have voiced their concern over the health and socioeconomic impact of these policy changes. An unprecedented mobilization took place in the lead-up to the June 18th National Day of Action Against Cuts to the IFH, which included demonstrations in over a dozen cities.
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Since the cuts took effect, healthcare providers have documented a number of adverse health outcomes among refugees who were denied care. In Hamilton, for example, health providers witnessed a young boy suffer a seizure after being refused his epilepsy medication because his mother, a refugee claimant, was not able to pay for it.