Urgent-care clinic no substitute for full-time ER, say Whitbourne protesters

More than 100people from the Whitbourne area rented a bus and braved freezing temperatures to send a message about emergency room services.

"We're not satisfied with urgent care!" yelled protest organizer Andrew Pretty, to roaring cheers from the crowd. "We're not going to stop. We're not going to back down."

A 24/7 emergency room in the community has been shut down since June. In its place, the Newfoundland and Labrador government has opened an urgent-care clinic that operates three days a week during business hours.

"When someone's life is at risk, threeminutes canbe life or death," said protester Elaine Thorne of Markland. "And if you can't get in there before four, you're pretty much screwed."

Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador