April
21, 2004
Queen’s
Park Report
by
MPP Norm Sterling
One of the more contentious
bills currently being debated at Queen’s Park is Bill 8 – the Commitment
to the Future of Medicare Act, 2004. While constituents who don’t work in
the health care field may not have heard of this legislation, it’s important
that we all consider the negative impact this bill could have in
Lanark-Carleton. Simply put, it will dramatically diminish our ability to have a
meaningful say in the delivery of our local health care services.
When this bill was introduced,
at first glance it appeared as nothing more than a public relations stunt – a
phony bill that was more of a communications gimmick that did little to actually
improve health care in Ontario.
However, as health care
providers and Opposition members examined the bill more closely, they were
shocked to discover that this legislation wasn’t as benign as first thought.
In fact, doctors, nurses, hospitals, and others in the health care field quickly
came to realize they were under attack from their provincial government.
A closer read of Bill 8
revealed that the McGuinty government intended to intrude into the independence
of the hospital sector and local hospital boards. This view has been shared by
the many health care providers from across our riding who have contacted me with
their concern that Bill 8 will undermine the role and accountability of our
local hospital boards.
In a nutshell, Bill 8 would
centralize hospital decision-making, taking authority away from our local
volunteer hospital boards. Instead, the Minister of Health would usurp these
powers. It would mean, for example that Toronto-Rosedale MPP George Smitherman
-- the province’s current Minister of Health -- would have the power to veto
decisions taken by hospital boards serving Lanark-Carleton and Ottawa.
The legislation would give the
Health Minister the authority to overrule, for example, a decision by a local
hospital board to increase specific services in a particular area. If a board
made a decision about dialysis services, the Minister could set it aside.
The bill essentially says that
the Health Minister has a better sense of a community’s needs than do the
actual members of the community. Of course, this is hogwash. It amounts to
little more than a power grab by the province.
Our local hospital boards are
made up of elected volunteers. The people who sit on these boards live in our
area. Their families, friends and neighbours rely on the hospitals they preside
over. They have a special first-hand appreciation for the services needed in the
community. We need these boards and the people who give their time and energy to
serve on them deserve greater respect.
A former Liberal cabinet
minister in the David Peterson government – a former MPP from Eastern Ontario
– described Bill 8 best when he said: “As
a Liberal, I have seen better days. This law, Bill 8, is not the product of the
Liberal Party that I know. In fact, it is in flagrant contradiction with some of
the most basic principles that inspire and have always inspired my party . . .
This bill is a serious breach of confidence and of democratic principles.”
Most
recently, my colleagues and I at Queen’s Park have successfully fought to
obtain agreement from the government for more public hearings on Bill 8. Short
of withdrawing the bill altogether, it’s the least the government can do. We
will continue to fight on behalf of our local health care providers and on
behalf of local health care services to defeat the draconian elements of Bill 8.
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