Ontario pharmacists respond to Premier's comments: It's okay to close the
doors on community health care

TORONTO, April 20 /CNW/ - In response to Premier McGuinty's assertion this morning that, "it's not his government's job to ensure the survival of smaller pharmacies" (Canadian Press, April 20), Ontario's Community Pharmacists released the following statement in response:

"Premier Dalton McGuinty has made it clear that it is not his job to care about who will feel the effects of his massive health care cuts. Today, more interested in playing politics, he sent a clear message: that he's okay with community health care closing their doors to the public for good. By writing off smaller community pharmacies - which are the majority of pharmacies in Ontario, the Premier is effectively removing access to hundreds of thousands of patients across the province.

As healthcare professionals, that is simply unacceptable.

We ask the Premier, whose job is it then to ensure that people in every corner of this province have access to community healthcare?

While the Premier and his Health Minister remain focused on playing politics and putting their healthcare cuts first, we will continue to put our patients first and fight for no cuts to front-line healthcare."

For further information: Caroline Spivak, [phone]