For
Immediate Release
May 20, 2004
Today at Queen’s Park, Lanark-Carleton MPP Norm Sterling
presented another local petition calling on the provincial government to
establish a Community Health Centre (CHC) to serve his constituents.
The petition calls on the province to “move quickly to
fulfill its promise to create 150 family health teams and establish a new
Community Health Centre to serve Kanata, West Carleton and Goulbourn.”
Residents in Almonte, Arnprior, Carleton Place, Clayton, and Constance Bay
signed the petition.
“The substantial population growth we are experiencing in
our area means this proposed service is necessary to ensuring we continue to
have access to quality health care services,” Sterling said. “The McGuinty
government promised to dramatically expand the number of community health
centres in the province and this is one commitment I intend to see fulfilled in
Kanata, West Carleton and Goulbourn.”
The local proposal for a new CHC was developed by the Western
Ottawa Community Resource Centre and is currently before the Minister of Health.
Sterling has taken the issue directly to Health Minister George Smitherman
arguing that with its rapidly growing population, this area should top the
priority list when it comes to expanded health care services.
Community Health Centres are located elsewhere in the
province, including in Lanark Village. They are designed to identify and address
the major health problems in the communities they serve. Services include public
health education, ambulatory care, acute and specialized treatment, long-term
care and rehabilitative services.
The petitions are available at Sterling’s Carleton Place
constituency office. The MPP will also send the petitions to anyone who is
interested in collecting signatures. Area residents can call Sterling’s office
at 1-800-267-1020. Sterling will present all signed petitions in the
legislature.
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For more information, please call Norm Sterling, MPP: (613) 253-1171