For immediate release:
May 19, 2004

Barrett points to Liberal health care betrayal

Queen’s Park – Haldimand-Norfolk-Brant MPP Toby Barrett says the de-listing of vital health care services announced in yesterday’s budget is a clear betrayal of the people of Ontario.

Barrett kicked-off today’s legislative session with a statement outlining the two-tier system being created by the removal of eye-exams, physiotherapy and chiropractic services from OHIP coverage.

“Optometrists, chiropractors and physiotherapists, and their patients, have been brutally betrayed by a Liberal government that has turned it’s back on preventative eye-care, and has sentenced people to live in back and muscular pain if they can’t afford access to help - I believe that’s called two tier health care,” said Barrett. “They wonder how it could be that this government would ask them to pay more for health through premiums, and yet receive fewer services.

“We know that your health minister likes to declare war – it looks like he’s now laid down the gauntlet on optometrists, chiropractors, physiotherapists and their patients – people in my riding are wondering whose next.”

Later in the day, Barrett read in a petition to reverse the Liberal betrayal and restore funding to the vital de-listed services.

“Whereas the liberal government has announced in their budget that they are delisting key health services such as routine eye exams, chiropractic and physiotherapy services,
we the undersigned petition the legislative assembly of Ontario as follows: to reverse the delisting of eye exams, chiropractic and physiotherapy services and restore funding for these important and necessary services,” Barrett said. “I know York MPP Julia Munro has submitted a similar petition, and I affix my signature.”

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For more information please contact MPP Toby Barrett at: 519-428-0446, 416-325-8404 or 1-800-903-8629