Hundreds rally and march to protest Interior Health decision
By Kyra Hoggan
As many as 300 people showed up to a rally and march this afternoon aimed at preventing Interior Health’s (IH’s) proposed plan to move Castlegar’s only ultrasound machine to Trail.
The crowd gathered in the Extra Foods parking lot at 3:30 p.m., then marched to the Castlegar Health Centre, where RDCK director Gord Zaitsoff emceed a series of speeches, including comments from MLA Katrine Conroy, Mayor Lawrence Chernoff, Councillor Russ Hearne, resident Dean Mackinnon (who was instrumental in organizing the protest), and three local doctors.
Hearne said IH’s press release today, promising a temporary hold on any decisions regarding the ultrasound, is not good enough – he said Castlegar roads will remain closed to IH (for the purposes of transporting ultrasound equipment) until the ultrasound machine is promised a permanent Castlegar home.
Virtually every speaker congratulated the assembled crowd for the strong turnout and support – which included several petitions now in the hands of IH officials, and Zaitsoff said local activism has compelled IH to host several meetings on the subject.
He said there’s a meeting scheduled for tomorrow at 4:30 p.m. that will include city and RDCK representatives, along with IH officials responsible for determining the ultrasound machine’s ultimate placement.
Conroy made particular note of one sign reading “Ultrasound stays, Campbell goes,” arguing the issue is not Castlegar-specific and urging the entire region to rally against provincial health care cuts.
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