For
Immediate Release
January 14, 2005
Finance
Committee Pre–Budget Consultations reveal hospital funding failures
Ottawa Hospital Planning
Service Cuts and Layoff of 300 Nurses
– McGuinty Liberals Still Not Listening
Ottawa – As
the McGuinty Liberals continue their brief consultations on the 2005 provincial
budget, Ontarians are still reeling from last year’s $2.6 billion
regressive health tax, privatized health care services and a provincial
debt that is growing at $100 per second. Dalton McGuinty has given no
indication of what he is likely to do in the coming budget.
“The McGuinty
government made a big deal of the extensive consultations held before
developing last year’s budget, but not one person who came out to
comment told the government to break their signature promise by raising
taxes by $2.7 Billion,” said John Tory, Leader of the Ontario PC
Party. “Now this year, Mr. McGuinty is holding only 8 days of public
hearings, largely shutting out the voice of average Ontarians.”
“Individuals
and businesses have to plan,” said Conservative MPP, Toby Barrett
(Haldimand-Norfolk-Brant). “It’s increasingly clear that McGuinty
has no plan. This indecision and uncertainty on the part of the government
is damaging to everyone living – or looking to invest in the Province
of Ontario.”
“Ontarians want
better, more effective health care, not a regressive health premium or
for critical health services (eye exams, chiropractic and physiotherapy
services) to be privatized,” said Conservative MPP, John O’Toole
(Durham). “Dalton McGuinty forced the people of Ontario to pay more,
while providing less service in return.”
At the hearings held
Wednesday, presenters including the Vice President – Finance, from
the Ottawa Hospital indicated that they are facing massive service cuts
in order to compensate for insufficient funding from the province. In
order for the Ottawa Hospital to cover next year’s project $45 million
shortfall, they are proposing to lay-off 300 nurses, in addition to reduced
levels of service.
“This year,
the McGuinty government has $3 billion in new money to spend on health
care from the federal government and the regressive health tax,”
said O’Toole. “That won’t even fund the rate of inflation
in the health sector for existing programs. Hospitals will have no choice
but to lay-off nurses and reduce service levels unless the Liberals provide
sufficient funding. ”
“Despite the
promises made by the Premier, wait times aren’t getting any shorter,
hospitals will be forced to lay off staff and close beds, and key health
services have been privatized,” said Barrett. “This is evidence
of Dalton McGuinty’s misplaced priorities, and shows how out of
touch his government has become with the real concerns of hard working
families in Ontario.”
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For more information
please contact MPP Toby Barrett at: 519-428-0446, 416-325-8404 or 1-800-903-8629
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