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The National Day of Action was kicked off at 12 p.m. AST in Halifax, N.S. The Council of Canadians, Nova Scotia Citizens’ Health Care Network and Maritime Heart Centre joined together to organize an exercise flashmob in downtown Halifax. We had over 50 participants and tons of great media at the event including CBC radio, CTV, Global, the Metro, Media co-op and more! You can watch the unedited film of the flashmob here.

An hour later, the Council of Canadians joined the Ontario Health Coalition, Canadian Doctors for Medicare, Registered Nurses Association of Ontario and others in Toronto, Ont. for a human sculpture photo-op and media conference. Ailish Morgan-Weldon, Ontario Organizing Assistant, Council of Canadians reported that despite 44-degree weather and being outdoors directly in the sun the event was lots of fun and had a decent turn out! Photos of the event can be seen here.

Throughout the afternoon and into the evening, events were held in seven B.C. cities. The largest gathering was in Vancouver, B.C. where approximately 80 people gathered at the foot of the Vancouver Art Gallery. Signs were held that said ‘ Standing together for the future of public healthcare’ and of course the red umbrellas were seen everywhere! Pictures will be posted soon.

Thanks to all of those who did a ton of work to make these amazing events happen! We are sending the premiers to the Council of the Federation with a strong mandate from Canadians to call Harper back to the 2014 Health Accord negotiating table!

Next week the National Day of Action will be followed up in Halifax on Wednesday with a Premiers Puppet Parade — we’re telling the premiers “don’t be puppets. Stand up to Harper!”; Thursday morning will be a media conference with Maude Barlow, Chair of the Council of Canadians; Dr. Bob Woollard of Canadian Doctors for Medicare; and Michael McBane of the Canadian Health Coalition; and Thursday evening Maude will be joined by Dr. Jane Maloney of the Canadian Alliance of Community Health Centres Association, Kyle Buott of the Nova Scotia Citizens’ Health Care Network, and Libby Davies, Federal Health Critic.

If you’re in Halifax, please join us for any or all of these events!

For more information on why we held a national day of action, please read my previous blog here.