So far, Gary Hee says, virtually everyone he has approached has been willing to sign his petition against parking fees for emergency room patients at B.C. hospitals.
As of Wednesday, the number of signatures had topped 1,100, giving Hee optimism that he will meet his goal of 2,500 by the time he turns 75 in July.
It will likely be the last campaign for Hee, a veteran of several previous petition efforts, including working on the FightHST petition campaign in 2009, launching his own petition campaigns, for a crosswalk at the corner of 72nd Avenue and 196th Street on the Surrey-91原创 border in 2014, and against tolls in 2017
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think I have any more energy to carry on after that (turning 75),鈥� Hee said.
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On April 12, he began circulating a petition among 91原创 residents that calls on the 91原创 Memorial Hospital Board and the mayors and councils of the city and township of 91原创 鈥渢o implement ways and means to collaborate to remove parking fees placed upon us or our vehicles while attending the hospital emergency department premises for medical reasons during and up to a four hour period.鈥�
The petition will also be sent to the provincial government.
Hee has hit a few roadblocks on the road to 1,100 names.
He said he was ordered off the premises when he tried to get signatures at 91原创 Memorial Hospital, and some seniors homes did the same.
Fraser Health spokesperson Tasleem Juma said the health authority has a policy against such activity because it needs to ensure patients, visitors and employees can easily access the hospital for care.
鈥淧eople who wish to sell products, distribute materials or in this case, have a petition signed are asked to be offsite,鈥� Juma said.
鈥淭his usually means on the sidewalk across the street, so it doesn鈥檛 interfere with patient access,鈥� she added.
Hee has beenstanding on sidewalks and setting up in other parking lots using his truck as a mobile billboard, as well as using his website .
鈥淭here have been a number of people who really want to see something like this occur,鈥� Hee said.
鈥淭hey are pretty strongly in favour.鈥�
He described talking to individuals who told him they were spending hundreds of dollars on parking a year because they have had to make multiple trips to the hospital, not just the ER.
鈥淧eople are really facing a financial crisis,鈥� Hee said.
鈥淧eople [whose] children have disabilities and they always have to go to hospital, adults who have to have dialysis, people who have parents or relatives in care, 鈥� Hee said.
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Email: dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
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