It has been only a short time since we have said our farewells to an inspiring Canadian Mr. Jack Layton yet here in Niagara we have had to mourn once again. In Niagara we have had 39 inspiring Canadians pass due to the horrific outbreak of C. Dificile, 39 times we have had to mourn our family, friends or neighbours. Each one special to his family and friends and each one an innocent victim. More new cases are appearing in the hospitals with even a greater fear of more to come.
The Niagara Health Coalition held information sessions in centres across the Niagara Region. Here in St. Catharines, hit hardest with the number of deaths at the St. Catharines General and now 3 new cases, we also had the greatest insult of indifference by those we elect to serve our community. Stories of survival were both frightening and heartbreaking yet only one City of St. Catharines Councillor attended, Mr. Len Stack and Mr. Andy Petrowski City of St. Catharines Regional Councillor. Mayor Brian McMullan sent his regrets as he claimed he was in London at the Municipalities Conference. Our Liberal MPP Jim Bradley could not attend as he was in Ottawa, his bosses riding. Other councillors had prior engagements. Councillor Jeff Burch who in late July brought a motion in Council to investigate serious complaints about the NHS, and who has made previous statements regarding our health care did not attend. I guess we know how much your words are worth Mr. Burch. I still remember Councillor Jennie Stevens during an election campaign spill the story of how a constituent called her at night because of a plumbing problem (strange how they could not call a plumber) and she raced over to fix it. Councillor Jennie Stevens did not attend. Our venerable political fixture who mused over the value of a politician's soul and breach of the Municipal Elections Act didn't find it necessary to make an appearance either. Maybe Mr. Tim Rigby had more philosophical questions to tackle that night.
You are all elected representatives of the people of St. Catharines. It is the people of St. Catharines who have suffered for no fault of their own. The very same people you run around and ask for votes during election campaigns and forget once that is over. You all showed contempt for your office and Oath. Worse still you showed indifference for the suffering of your St. Catharines and its people.
We have to find an end to this horror. We cannot afford to lose any more of our family members or friends. The McGuinty government finally appoints a supervisor after more than three dozen deaths and the provincial election nearing. The NHS hires a public relations expert to save its image and supposedly to understand why the NHS has lost the confidence of the people of Niagara. Do you really need to spend that money to understand the obvious? Yet the people of Niagara fear going into hospital for even routine tests.
Councillor Jeff Burch is quoted by Zettel of NTW on May 20th 2010 as saying: “I'm not sure the change that's happening is totally focused on providing better health care, I think a lot of that is focused on cutting costs.” Were these words simply convenient to get attention Councillor Burch? Your absence and silence surely raises questions. Cutting costs has been the focus of our provincial government even though Minister Jim Bradley brags that under the Liberal government baseline funding to the NHS has increased by $100 million. If that is the case why has the NHS failed? How did the NHS reach such a crisis? As a government, or manager, how did you ignore all the signs of pending disaster and simply keep providing dollars? Why did it take more than three dozen deaths for you as our Premier, as the provincial Minister of Health, to finally step in and take action? In the end only one question remains. Why did the people of Niagara have to pay such a horrendous price for their most basic need? Premier McGuinty with his Minister for Health Deb Matthews bragged about the Excellent Care For All Act 2010, as the most important piece of legislation since publicly funded health care. Ask us in Niagara Premier McGuinty if what we have here is truly Excellent Care For All or for that matter, for any?
The Niagara Health Coalition is taking part in a rally and parade in Toronto on September 13th. With one voice we must tell our politicians, those in office and those who wish to be, that this cannot continue.
Thank you both Mr. Len Stack and Mr. Andy Petrowski for the care you showed to the people of St. Catharines.
No comments:
Post a Comment