Cornwall ON – City Council got jiggy with the hospital funding issue in a special meeting Tuesday afternoon. I can understand the anger of many of the councilors. With Surgeries being cancelled due to funding issues; doctors leaving, threatening to leave, or just lower morale, Cornwall has done a lot to really shine when it comes to medical services.
From the funding of the new hospital to the city being proactive in their efforts to attract new doctors to Cornwall I can fully understand the feeling that we deserve better than what’s going on.
(We covered this story last week including video which we’ll repost right below.)
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKbSuMlcTHY
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXwBhO97TMg
Which will put the pressure on MPP Jim Brownell to bring further action to his riding’s largest hospital. Earlier the province coughed up $5 Million dollars to help with deficits, but that’s short of what’s needed.
“It’s not the hospital that has the problem,” said Coun. Denis Carr. “This problem rests with long-term care, it’s clogging up the hospital, it’s the wrong choice of words, but it’s not a municipal responsibility.”Our first step is with Queen’s Park.”
And that’s what council voted to do. Mayor Bob Kilger will attempt via MPP Jim Brownell to initiate a meeting with minister Deb Matthews to get the job done and find some funding.
What do you think Cornwall? You can post your comments below.
I will be the first to comment. Why on earth did Bob Kilger and council not get involved a long time ago? And yes it is a municipal responsibility. Its all about working for your constituents, looking out for their best interests, and hospitals are part of the infrastructure. When 52 surgeries have been canceled, a shortage of 42 beds, doctors are leaving the area and are fed up, then I would say Cornwall has a major problem on there hands and why isn’t someone screaming bloody murder? There are obviously serious issues that need to be resolved, mismanagement has to be one of them, underfunding another and then there’s the LHINs, another unaccountable bureaucratic arms length government agency using up health care dollars that could be directed else where. I am told that Dr. Bourdeau is one of the members sitting on the Champlains LHINS board. Remember, he’s the one that didn’t want to reveal the Eastern Ontario Health Units budget. What a MESS. Obviously its political as well, Liberals not wanting to step on other Liberal toes. This has gone on too long, it should never have gotten this far and I realize its very complicated and a long time coming but communication is definitely lacking and Cornwall city council needed to be involved a long time ago.
We can not afford to keep throwing money at the problem child, time for tough love and people smarter than me with a business mind better start being vocal, or the child will grow and start a family with even more needs.
Well said Tammy
why would a motion be needed?
Also has anyone considered reviewing the management and infrastructure of how the hospiatl is functioning.
Right now it appears Kilger and friends will be doing nothing more then irritating the government because people in Cornwall cannot manage a business.
More money in this area is strictly throwing gasoline on a fire.
I have only one question………………What took this council so long to stand up and do something?
Was it family member who had a canceled procedure? That’s the only way us peasants get any results.
I have been talking about this in every conversation I have had in the past year. And you wonder why people don’t vote. Every single resident of this city has to stop shrugging their shoulders and scream out to our MPP. The letter I received from Mr. Brownell was defensive.
Willie191, Jim Brownell has been very disappointing to his constituents lately. He has become a puppet and is tiring out. He must realize that his government is failing him. McGuinty is so out of touch with the people, its definitely time for a change. Bring on Tim Hudak!
willie191, its all political and there is no leadership
Tammy I would suggest that your opinion could be a tad partisan. The majority of people I’ve spoken with are enthralled with the job that Mr. Brownell has done in this riding. As a matter of fact on the eve of my own political beginnings it was suggested to me that if I work half as hard as Jim Brownell for my constituents I’d be a hell of a success as a politician.
“Bring on Tim Hudak!”? I don’t think too many people want to return to the dark days of the “Common Sense Revolution”. The lingering stink of Mike Harris is still in the air.
Hudak isn’t the answer. I must vote NDP. Just look around. It was the conservatives that started all the cuts in Ontario hospitals. Dalton was elected and re-elected based on lies. How can a person vote logically when they hear a platform based on lies.
Maybe it is too early to choose a party for the fall of 2011, however, looking at the NDP website does not fill me with hope. The issues section is just a holding tank for news, but they also have a seperate section for news.
For Gods sakes people! Mike Harris did some bad moves yes I would agree, but he did alot of good moves as well. My main reason for liking Harris was that he did what he said he was going to do, unlike every politician today. Like it or not alot of his changes were necessary for the time. How are we ever going to bring this province back to a reasonable debt without cutting? A good leader must make tough choices. The key thing is to do it responsibly for example, instead of laying off, cut costs through attrition, and communicate and consult in a TIMELY FASHION.
Here are some reasons why I like Mike Harris:
Harris cut social assistance by 22%, it was necessary because people took advantage of social assistance at the time, and he created Ontario Works a training program to get people working, whats wrong with that?
Provincial income tax was cut by 30%.
He created a new Fair Share Health Levy to help pay for high health care costs. He increased health care spending to record levels to counter transfer cuts from the federal government and hired new nurses.
He tried to sell off government-owned enterprises such as Ontario Hydro and the LCBO but to no avail. Isn’t that what Dalton wants to do now??
He amalgamated several municipalities (good and bad).
He reduced the powers of the school boards (principals were taken out of the unions)
He improved the economy and almost eliminated the debt. WHAT IS WRONG WITH THAT?
The negative about Harris’ government is:
He went too fast and should have consulted and communicated better.
We are in a much bigger mess today. Our deficit is $21 billion compared to only $10billion when Harris took office after Bob Rae. Revenues went from $48 billion to $64 billion, under Mike Harris. He reduced Ontario’s welfare rolls by 500,000.
I am sure there’s alot more to know about Harris when I read his new book titled How The Tory’s Took Ontario, but so far, I like the guy.
He cut taxes by 30% and health care by 40%. He told us that everyone on welfare and ODSP were all stealing from the government. Only a small percentage was. He attacked the poorest of the poor. He sold the 407 toll highway to his buddies at SCN Lavelin for peanuts after tax dollars paid for it.. He passed a law stating the province could not run a deficit. Then reversed the law after telling us there is a 2 billion dollar deficit. Ernie Eves to over. The deficit was actually 6 billion dollars. And this just off the top of my head.
As far as Bob Rae, He has always been a liberal in NDP clothing. The NDP at that time was the only position available for Bob Rae. He fooled everyone.
Please, do not get me started on Ontario Hydro. I worked for a High voltage contractor in Toronto and saw way too much.
willie
Conservatives cut spending to better control a system burning rampant. The whole failure of the system began under a liberal government. One which through money around and does not ask where it is spent. We may not like what he is doing but I think he is on the right track
As I have mentioned my career has provided my privilege to see many splendors of people’s character in many different scenarios.
It is a shame that those with the most experience are not in the least bit impressive. The general attitude or beliefs in challenging situations can best be described by my senior associate “ I only have 5 more years to retirement” Or “hey if they ask me to do it this way I do it and if they ask me tomorrow to change it back I just do, there is no reason to challenge the validity as I only have 5 more years to retirement…if the market stays strong” Or as Guy once told me regarding an industry venture, “I believe we have a retired entrepreneur looking into it”
This is prevalent in every aspect of leadership and mentoring. Our local leaders and representatives are the worst. They have had a mediocre career and life and at their age have no drive to make a difference and no need.
They by no means set an example for our future youth or their peers. There is no more super hero and not much to look forward to.
If you want to know why we are going to hell in a hand basket just look to those we elect and ask to represent us. I have met most of these people locally and unfortunately there is maybe a couple willing and able to do what needs to be done, again it is unfortunate that they are held back by underachievers.
In our area maybe Hamlet would best describe our local politicians
“God hath given you one face, and you make yourself another”
. Tammy, you have my support 100% well said.
I think many people only dislike Harris due to poor media. Sorry Jamie but it is a fact. Most media is a liberal owned and operated thus making other parties appear incapable. Can anyone recall the last Provincial debate; McGuinty was nothing more then slanderous mealy mouth snot. He never answered any questions but was quite capable of slandering his opponents more so then them.
I mean McGuinty has no brains, Look at a decision made by he and then health minister smitherman. It was decided that transgender assignment surgery was more important then aiding diabetic is need of an insulin pump.
Smee the media in Cornwall is not Liberal. Corus, John Bolton? Lorne? Scott? Puh-lease, no Grits in that crowd. The Seaway News? lol, We are about the only left of centre media in all of Eastern Ontario and we allow Conservatives equal space which can’t be said for some of those other media outlets.
That Conservative whining about Liberal media is kinda old.
It is old. The Libs and the Con’s point the fingers at eachother. This has got to stop.
While bad mouthing McGuinty, I have a relative in Ottawa that is diabetic. This person needs to buy needles, while the province steped in to pay for a needle exchange program that gives free needles to drug addicts, that Ottawa city council said no to.
I find that “we allow Conservatives equal space” kind of scary, however, it is your publication, and I for one enjoy it with the friendly banter from all sides.
Too bad those pseudo-conservatives cannot come up with any material of their own to post in here instead of being gagged by the PMO!! Ahem, Guy? Or is that just an excuse? I mean either you are being gagged by the PMO, or you just don’t have any smart and personal opinion to say. One thing for sure, you certainly aren’t working for your constituents! And no wonder you have to run and hide behind papers that will print your incessant lies and propaganda from the PMO!
No Grits among you? Jamie you yourself have shown support and belief for Bernadette. Could it be denial, it is a huge liberal trait
Yes smee. I was a card holding Liberal until 2009. Of course at one time in my life I was a Progressive Conservative too. I tend to be issue centric. To me Medicare is my primary issue and I see only two parties who publicly seem to want to preserve Medicare in the spriit it was created.
free needles started in vancouver in the late 80’s i beleive, and it quickly took off through the rest of Canada. That was an NDP initiative originally . I was made official here by Bob Rae, But Iron Mike Harris was wanting to end it and chastised for his decision
The best thing about Harris is that in 1995 they passed a law called the Taxpayers Protection Act, a law which limited the ability of legislatures to raise taxes and run deficits without public approval through a referendum process. AND PREMIER DALTON MCGUINTY REVERSED IT. FANCY THAT!
I am on municipal council I see first hand all the government programs down loaded to the municipality at a big cost. For example just in my first year there were over 700 changes to the Ontario Building Code… Then there’s the Species at Risk Act, where a farmer can no longer dig out his own drainage ditch to save the tax payer money, now its up to the township, through the Conservation Authorities under all kinds of time constraints and restrictions and God help you if there’s a butternut tree (99.9% of them have canker disease) township is now responsible for. Then theres the Clean Water Act, Species at Risk Act, we have Bill 168 Workplace, Violence and Harassment policy under the Occupational Health Act, everyone in the township must take courses and an employee must be in-charge of the program set up. There’s the Accessibility Act, employees all must take courses to learn how to treat people with disabilities or handicaps (like we didnt already know), townships will be required to have braille available to the public. There’s MOE regulating us on every single drop of water, MNR on peoples individual property, Province with the Official Planning Act, Eastern Ontario Health Units policing our every move, and the list goes on. I haven’t even mentioned the Federal side of it. The purpose of government is to create laws, and laws make regulations and with regulations you get inspectors and with inspectors you get control and cost. Its sickening. When you take power away from the people, then you create waste and apathy which is why I want McGuinty out. We have become their subordinates.
See folks, it’s not just me that sees the truth. If most of you could see through the media you would find the conservatives are doing a better job.
As for the NDP, well Mr Rae placed all kinds of hidden fees; one comes to mind called the victims surcharge fee. It has something to do with additional charges things like traffic offenses and similar offences.
Some of the legislation Tammy mentions comes into play in my work. Most of it is common sense that has now been legislated. The unique part is the people it is meant to protect are the ones that abuse it. If an incident occurs it is not the individual held responsible. There can be a huge bag of blame spread all around. It makes legal and governmental entities rich off our taxes.
Look at the statement by admin on the hospital issue “To me Medicare is my primary issue and I see only two parties who publicly seem to want to preserve Medicare in the spriit it was created.” What the hec does that mean? It was meant to help people.
What has happened since our liberal dominated and brainwashed society was in power is to turn it into a money maker for all the people creating legislation and accounts determining how to treat patients and cupe telling the public the rights.
Now conservatives pull the reins back on that spending and you think its bad news? Then you complain about taxes. All this nonsense costs money.
Yep the conservatives are spreading the wealth in a different way, but it is difficult to change political inbreeding when one party has created so much political incest
No, Harper needs to go. He’s not pulling the reigns back on spending. He just blew 1.2+ billion dollars on the dumbest idea of this year he’s had so far.
Just found an interesting group, click my name for the link 😀
compared to what the liberals have done in the past this ispeanuts. Besides atleast he had it in Ontario which will keep some revenue in province.
As I said Grimalot, Harper is not perfect by far but he is still the best one out there. Personally I really dont give a rats @*& about some Afghan detainee that got a shoe in his face. Our troops are out there fighting a war. War is war. The leftists are trying to bring down all the efforts and hard work that the Conservatives have done to rebuild our military in Canada. Let them do the job. And as far as the money spent on the G8 and G20, at least its in Ontario, not Quebec.
Grimalot, wake up and smell the coffee. The money had to be spent because of the crazies out there. We should be proud that we can host a safe G8 and G20 meeting in Canada. The Rt.Hon. Stephen Harper made it possible! What a proud day for Canadians!
Absolutely not.. It did not have to be spent like that. Whatever way you look at it, DUMBEST PM EVER FOR THROWING IT IN TORONTO!!! I mean COME ON!! There are plenty of other suitable places it could have been thrown (not in Quebec), that would have been a lot less expensive. We are Canada, one of the largest and most sparse nations out there. Instead, we have a PM that preaches fiscal restraint and then does that???? What have you been smoking or smelling guys? Even if spent in Ontario, its just a make work, showboat of a G20. And with these “temporary” laws being passed that remove even more of our fundamental rights, its plainly a mockery of our whole system. And you guys are for this?
I don’t personally care about the War in Afghanistan, WE SHOULDN’T BE THERE PLAIN AND SIMPLE.
As for being the best man for the job Tammy, far from it. He’s systematically ruining our country, and its people like you that let him get away with it.
No Ignatieff is not a better pick either. This isn’t some leftist whining. This is a Canadian, standing up for the Canada that I know and want to remain knowing! But there is NO WAY, that I would ever give a vote to give Harper a majority and forever sink this country! He’s already acting like he’s got a majority and everyone is letting him get away with it. Our politics stink, and we the Canadian Citizens, need to take back our country!!
This is by far not a proud day for Canada. I bet the other countries are laughing right now at how much we’re wasting on this crap!
thanx Tammy!
I think I really did it this time smee!
OK Grimalot you go to the big party bash held by Bernadette Clemence (lots of money) in Cornwall this Saturday night, she will be looking for your vote, there is talk of a fall Federal election…there is also talk that Igi will be paying Cornwall a visit in the near future. There’s your opportunity for change…
Not me Thank you very much.
What part don’t you understand?? Just because I don’t support Guy or Harper, doesn’t make me Liberal.. I just recently got into that debate with another person on another site. Seems like you all come out with the same retorts..
Grimalot you sound like a leftist Canadian whether you think so or not! The reason it’s being held in Toronto is to accomodate everyone attending. Just the Chinese came with more than 150 people, imagine the total count for all attending nations and you’ll understand why a large city is being used (venues-hotels-accomodations-food)
Contrary to popular belief Grimmy the other countries are not laughing at us, they are thankful to us that all of their leaders are safe and sound in Toronto.
The “temporary” laws being changed to give the police more powers was instituted by Dalton McGuinty the leader of the Fiberal Party of Ontario. This was done secretly and without any debate or input from the other political parties. Dalton strikes again!
Heh, thanks for that Stan. Very interesting.
Everyone looks like a left wing Canadian compared to Harper and the retro Conservatives, just like when you are at the bottom of a well everything looks up.
How about the no-wing or common sense wing that make up the majority of Canadians who are undecided as far as political parties go. Today, if “The Undecided Party” was on the ballot for a federal election they would definitely win a majority.
now we have gotten all off track, what does it have to do with local inept politicians looking at the health care system.
If these guys can’t so much as change their mind how do they expect to improve the services in Cornwall