Health minister's announcement will be hot topic at public meeting on privatization of seniors' care Tuesday evening Local Medicare advocates are optimistic that a broadening of the guidelines for building and operating new seniors' care facilities announced Friday by Health Minister Penny Priddy means that the regional health board won't be forced to choose a private operator for a new multi-level care facility in Nanaimo. The new policy will be a topic of discussion at a public meeting on the privatization of seniors' care to be held tomorrow in Nanaimo. Tuesday, June 22, 7:00 p.m. Tally-Ho Hotel 1 Terminal Road "Minister Priddy has made a positive move, giving not-for-profit groups the opportunity to continue their critical involvement in the provision of seniors' care," says HEU secretary-business manager Chris Allnutt. "It's a big improvement on the previous policy which restricted new multi-level care facilities to private corporations." The Central Vancouver Island Regional Health Board - despite its expressed concerns about its ability to efficiently integrate seniors' care services if a new multi-level care facility was privately operated - is poised to choose a private corporation to provide a much needed 125-bed facility in the Nanaimo area within a week. But in the wake of the Health Minister's announcement, the organizers of tomorrow evening's public meeting are hoping a non-profit alternative is now a possibility. A collection of labour and community organizations including groups representing seniors, students, Medicare proponents and health care workers' unions are co-sponsoring the meeting.