As a long-service Mental Health Registered Nurse in Durham Region I have watched the impact of the local and provincial economy impacting Durham Region workers.

Workers in the auto sector will lose another 900 jobs. The economy in Durham will lose another 900 well-paying jobs with benefits. Then there is the loss of jobs in the feeder plants (some of those people on layoffs are losing homes) and local businesses are losing business.

All of those people and their families may face a situational crisis, something that happens in a life maybe unexpected and those individuals may have a need for an Acute Care mental health bed.

With 20 of the Acute Care mental health beds being transferred to Scarborough, is this reasonable? When Durham Region does not have enough Acute Care Mental Health beds? Durham cannot lose one Acute Care Mental Health bed.

Shame on all of us!

Joan Gates

President OPSEU Local 331

Oshawa