The Ontario Health Coalition has released a report on private healthcare clinics and how they are a threat to Canada's public Medicare system. “The report calls on federal and provincial governments to recommit themselves to the Canada Health Act, to stop illegal health fees for patients and to impose penalties on provinces that don't protect their residents. The report also calls for provincial governments to put a halt on the privatization of public and non-profit hospital services, increase hospital capacity and increase health funding. The report also recommends that governments at all levels must protect public health care from international trade agreements through a general carve out for all healthcare services. Private for-profit clinics are cutting a second tier into Canada's public healthcare system, a representative with a provincial healthcare watchdog group says. And, in many cases, what they’re doing is illegal, said Peter Boyle, a volunteer with the Ontario Health Coalition.” OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas says “these private clinics should not be profiting off the sick and elderly. It's outrageous and unethical, and that's why we will continue to fight against privatization in all its forms.”