They might be opposing each other when it comes to the leadership race for the Progressive Conservative Party, but three candidates are on the same page when it comes to health care issues.
The candidates fielded questions on April 29 when local MPP Ted Arnott hosted a candidates’ meeting. Three of the four leadership hopefuls attended.
During the question period, Centre Wellington councillor Bob Foster asked how the leaders visualize health care and the funding for equipment of small community hospitals. Groves Hospital in Fergus is currently raising $3-million for a CT Scanner.
Frank Klees immediately said the best way to do that is to get rid of the burdens of regulations and bureaucracy.
He came down particularly hard on the Liberal government’s creation of the Local Health Integration Networks.
He called the LHINs “one of the worst of [Premier] Dalton’s McGuinty’s gifts” and said the LHINs were designed to be a barrier between the people and the government. He said the province gets complaints and refers people to the LHINs, and the LHINs get complaints, and say the province does not give them enough money.
Klees added that anyone who thinks the LHINs have failed is wrong because “It’s exactly what was intended” when the province started them.
He said it is time to “draw a direct line to the Ministry of Health. He said the LHIN is
“a barrier between people and the government.”
Christine Elliott said the LHINs are an unaccountable body and the province spends $1-billion per year just to run them. She wondered what that money could do inside the health care system. and said there there is some waste in the system “not necessarily at the local hospital.”
Elliott said “People are ahead of the politicians one [the health care issue].”
She cited innovation in some areas, such as Thunder Bay, where health technology is being developed that can by sold commercially and perhaps actually generate funds instead of just spending them.
Candidate Tim Hudak said he attended a rally in Toronto earlier in the day where thousands marched to protest “Dalton McGuinty’s broken LHINs.”
He said there are two hospitals in his ridings that use to serve people and they have been basically turned into walk-in clinics under the Liberal government.
“Dalton McGuinty says, ‘Blame the LHINs’ ” Hudak said. He added, “We need to support and encourage work locally,” and noted that once local groups purchase health care equipment, the province should pay to help operate and maintain it.
