Sunday, May 10, 2015

Auto Accident Benefit Cuts: Lobbying Update, Action and Resources - Please circulate!

From the Ontario Rehab Alliance:

Subject: Auto Accident Benefit Cuts: Lobbying Update, Action and Resources - Please circulate!
Importance: High

Dear Members,

The Budget (Bill 91) has passed second reading. Most likely it will soon be referred to committee – but the plan is likely to pass it before the house rises in June. Auto insurance changes are a relatively small aspect of this broad bill so it remains unlikely that we can effectively block passage with a majority government in place, though we’ll try our best. Our focus is very much on influencing the regulations to mitigate the harm to the seriously and catastrophically injured.

The ORA Board is currently working with a collection of other associations on various fronts to these ends, but we also need your help!

1.      Petition – the petition we shared with you the other day is gaining momentum. If you haven’t yet done so please sign and distribute to colleagues, clients, and friends:
https://www.change.org/p/ontario-mpps-finance-minister-charles-sousa-stop-reducing-ontario-accident-benefits
2.      Rally – the rally planned for next Tuesday, May 12 is being rescheduled to better improve the chance of making an impact with a well- organized and well attended event. This has the support and involvement of OTLA, a number of law firms as well as the ORA and FAIR. Likely other associations will get involved as well. We will keep you posted on the date and details but it will most likely take place in the first days of June.
3.      MPP & Government Outreach – the ORA and OTLA are jointly organizing a multi-stakeholder strategy session for next week. The goal is to develop common messaging and collectively contact and meet with as many MPPS and decision-makers as possible in the short time available. We have invited representatives of the professional associations, and groups such as OBIA and Spinal Cord Injury.
4.      Please continue your own outreach to MPPs –politicians respond to constituents with greater alacrity than they may do to organizations.  Thanks to those of you who have and have written to tell us. It would be super helpful if you could please also/instead complete this survey so that we have all the info in one place - https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/T278MDC
5.      MPP Contact and Issue Info – We’ve revised our home page to reflect the importance of this issue to the public. Follow this link to find the backgrounder we shared with you a week or so ago – the red link at the top takes you to MPP contact info. http://ontariorehaballiance.com/page/insurancechanges
6.      Key Messages -  Auto insurance changes in the 2015 Budget catastrophically injure the injured. Ontarian’s will not be properly protected by insurance if they are injured. The proposed changes help insurers’ profits by shifting responsibility to unpaid family caregivers and the public purse. Our challenged health and social services are unable to absorb this impact.
7.      Outline & Analysis of the Proposed Changes  - This article provides an excellent summary of the proposed changes and the impact: http://www.lawtimesnews.com/201505044652/commentary/insurance-changes-a-catastrophic-ambush
8.      Next Steps
·        Once the regulations have been posted we will analyze, consult, comment and refine our messaging
·        We will share these insights and messages with you to incorporate into your efforts
·        We will continue to keep you posted on the rally and other actions as they evolve

Please distribute this email widely!! All hands are needed on deck!


Laurie Davis, Executive Director

Office:      705 745 1546
Mobile:    705 957 4733
ontario-rehab-alliance-email-sig-260213 (2)
51 Sophia Street, Peterborough
K9H 1C9, ON

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