NDP Raises Concerns About Learn and Stay Expansion as Northern Lab Jobs Are Lost

SUDBURY — In response to ongoing job losses at LifeLabs in Northern Ontario, including the layoff of 40 medical laboratory technologists in Sudbury, Ontario NDP Shadow Minister for Labour Jamie West (Sudbury) and Shadow Minister for Health MPP France Gélinas (Nickel Belt) released the following statement:

“LifeLabs was sold to an American for-profit company, and the very first thing that company did was start cutting Northern Ontario jobs." Said West. "They’ll still draw blood in the North, but now samples will be shipped south for analysis, costing Sudbury alone at least 40 good lab technician and technologist jobs. The Ontario NDP has warned the Premier that this was coming. Instead of standing up for Northern workers, protecting patient services, or giving people any reassurance, Doug Ford’s Jobs Disaster and his Conservatives sat on their hands. Now they want to pat themselves on the back for a Learn and Stay Grant for lab students? That’s like closing the barn door after the cows have already run away. What’s next? A Learn and Stay Grant for distillery workers after Crown Royal shuts down the plant?”

“LifeLabs is firing 40 medical laboratory technologists in Sudbury, and the government hasn’t lifted a single finger to help them." Said Gélinas. "At the same time, this government wants to brag about helping students graduate from lab programs. They’re willing to help people train, but they’re not willing to protect their jobs when a for-profit American company decides it can make more money by cutting services and shipping work south. Northern Ontarians deserve better. Our health care system should not be at the mercy of corporate decisions that put profits ahead of workers, patients, and access to care in the North.”