McGUINTY
FAILS TO PROTECT HEALTH CARE
QUEEN'S
PARK - Dalton McGuinty's lack of leadership to protect public health care
will irreparably hurt Ontario's public health care system,
said Ontario NDP Leader Howard Hampton.
"McGuinty
has been missing in action on the protection of public health
care," said Hampton. "After the Supreme Court ruling on
private
insurance
in Quebec, McGuinty has been silent. At the Premiers' meeting, he
ducked
the issue instead of confronting Ralph Klein. Now, the Canadian
Medical
Association (CMA) has opened the door to private health care
system.
Ontarians
need a strong leader who will take tough action to slam the door shut on
pay-your-way-to-the-front-of-the-line heath care."
Tuesday,
CMA delegates put forward a resolution rejecting a parallel
private system. But, the resolution was soundly defeated. Instead,
the CMA
passed a resolution saying those who have to wait for care should
be
allowed
to pay privately for services.
"We're
disappointed by the CMA's position on a parallel system," said
Hampton. "All the evidence shows a two-tier regime drains
precious
resources from the public system and violates the rule of equal
access for
all. We need doctors to lead the fight for Medicare, not endorse a
system
that will undermine it."
Hampton
called on McGuinty to act decisively to protect public health
care, both in principle and in practice.
"The
longer Dalton McGuinty waits to speak out, the harder it's going to
be to stem the tide of creeping privatization in Ontario,"
said Hampton.
"Unfortunately,
he's nowhere on this important issue."
Despite
his rhetoric about preserving health care, McGuinty's record on
privatization speaks for itself:
*
In his first budget, the McGuinty Liberals hit Ontarians with a
regressive health tax and de-listed optometry, physiotherapy, and
chiropractic
services.
*
In this year's budget, McGuinty Liberals announced a series of
privately-funded hospital projects (Public-Private-Partnerships, or
P3).
* Since the Supreme Court ruling, McGuinty has been silent to deter
individuals interested in setting up private medical clinics in
Ontario.
"Now,
more than ever, Ontario needs to reject Dalton McGuinty's backdoor
privatization and start developing real solutions that protect and
improve public health care for ordinary Ontarians."
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