MPP Wayne Gates spent Thursday afternoon outside Phil's Independent Grocer, looking for support of two heath care initiatives he is putting forward to the proving, and discus the work he is doing as an MPP for Niagara-on-the-Lake.
He was joined by two co-op students, Lauren Davidson and Gillian Archer, who were helping to collect signatures for his legislation on a caregiver benefit and for coverage of prostate cancer testing.
In addition to thanking those who stopped by, Gates said it was a pleasure to meet so many who stopped by and gave him the opportunity “to discuss the work my office is doing to support our community. I also want to thank Phil and his staff for being so helpful and accommodating, and letting us table outside for an afternoon.”
“I must extend a special thank you to Lauren Davidson and Gillian Archer,” he said, "two talented co-op summer students who are both from Niagara-on-the-Lake, who joined me in engaging with you all. I think it is so important that talented young people like Lauren and Gillian get the opportunity to develop valuable work skills while pursuing their post-secondary education. I’m looking forward to working with them for the rest of the summer!”
During their time at Phil's, he said, “we focused on spreading awareness about the services my office provides and gathering support for two crucial causes. Firstly, we collected signatures for a petition advocating for OHIP coverage of prostate cancer screening tests. This initiative is vital for ensuring early detection – and we know early detection of prostate cancer, the most common form of cancer among men, can save lives. Just this year, 5,000 men will those their lives to this disease. This legislation is a simple, common-sense reform that can save lives.”
Secondly, “we discussed the need to establish a paid benefit for unpaid caregivers across Ontario. These caregivers play a fundamental role in our communities, and far too many of them are struggling financially.,” Gates said. “”In fact, over 3.3 million Ontarians self-report as having provided unpaid care for family and friends. Any one of us could become a caregiver for a loved one- and many caregivers are dipping into savings, taking on debt, losing jobs, or dropping out of school to be there for their parents, children, and loved ones when they need them. Caregivers spend on average 10-20 hours per week on care. That’s a part time job and should be compensated like one."