The Ontario PC Party was not about to let a few rogue protesters stop them from getting their message across to fans on Sunday.
With a few hundred people inside the Lamplighter Inn in London, Ont. the concentration started with a couple of interruptions.
The co-chair of the London Health Coalition (LHC) stormed the scene just minutes after the rally began and called on Prime Minister Doug Ford.
“You’re privatizing our health care and you have to be honest with the Ontarians,” said Jeffrey Hanks, LHC co-president.
He was taken to safety and held behind the scenes, thinking he would be arrested by London police, but was eventually released after the rally ended.
“It was pretty scary, but, you know, I’m fine,” Hanks said from the parking lot after the rally.
“I just hope people, more people know that they are privatizing our health care and that they should vote accordingly.”
Humberto Ponce De Leon also stormed the scene and was removed by security at Prime Minister Doug Ford’s demonstration at the Lamplighter Inn in London, Ont. Sunday, May 29, 2022 (Brent Lale / CTV News London) He was one of the few people who wanted to make his voice heard. Shortly after Hanks was escorted out of the demonstration, Humberto Ponce De Leon got up on stage and was quickly grabbed by security.
“I think I have a right to let people know before I vote that Doug Ford is really a scam,” Ponce De Leon said after the rally.
“I mean, the Conservatives have been destroying this province and this country, you know, and at the expense of the most vulnerable. If we choose this guy again, our health care system, because it’s our system, nobody pays for it, but we “Our system is in a serious and serious situation.”
As they accompanied them off stage, Ford continued on point.
“Our message is getting there and people are excited, you can see it with these people right there, they’re very excited,” Ford joked, referring to Hanks and Ponce De Leon.
The rally continued with Ford pushing his “Do It Done” slogan and ended with him shaking hands and taking pictures with attendees.
Ontario Prime Minister Doug Ford speaks at a campaign rally in London, Ontario. Sunday, May 29, 2022. (Brent Lale / CTV News London) At the same time as the rally was taking place inside, some different groups of protesters were outside the venue.
CTV spoke with Hanks before he entered, explaining his concerns about privatized health care.
“The problem with private health care is that we’re sitting at 110% capacity and we’re going to increase waiting times,” Hanks said.
“It’s because health professionals are going from public to private that we’re already short of 22,000 nurses.”
Hanks claims there is no responsibility with our current health care system.
“Corporations are kind of like foxes guarding the chicken coop,” Hanks said.
While Ford was in town a few miles away, Ontario NDP leader Andrea Horwath made a whistling stop in London. He came to a number of points of discussion, such as claiming that the health care system is broken under the current government.
“We have to hire tens of thousands of health workers,” Horwath said.
“Nurses, the PSWs to make sure that our elderly people receive the quality of care, the dignity they deserve. So they are not forced into the prematurity of long-term care and do not end up trapped in bed. “Because they can’t get the home care they need to get out of the hospital. We’re going to fix all that.”
Andrea Horwath during a campaign stop in London, Ont. Sunday, May 29, 2022 (Gerry Dewan / CTV News London)