MPP Michael Mantha’s News from the Park
Algoma-Manitoulin NDP MPP Michael Mantha
Last week MPPs found themselves back home in their ridings for a constituency week. I am pleased to say that the clinics I held were well attended. Constituency clinics provide MPPs with the opportunity to meet face to face with constituents to assist them with matters of concern and also hear firsthand what the issues and concerns are for the people of Algoma-Manitoulin. Each month I spend several days holding clinics in one or more regions of the riding. Clinics are posted on my website and in local papers prior to the dates.
It will come as no surprise that one of the issues that my office receives many calls, letters and requests for assistance is in the area of healthcare. Under the leadership of Premier Wynne, the Liberals vowed to make our healthcare system stronger and to ensure that patients receive better care. But rather than improving our system, the pathways chosen by the Premier seem to be making matters worse. As a result, Ontario’s patients and seniors are paying the price for the Wynne government’s health care cuts. Wait times are far too long and too many hospitals are overcrowded. Some are operating above 100% of their capacity.
As you know, the Wynne government has been making deep cuts to the health care services that we all rely on. Hospital funding was frozen by Premier Wynne for four straight years. With costs increasing every year, that’s meant cuts to hospital services and layoffs for hundreds of nurses and hospital workers. In addition, the Wynne government has broken trust with doctors and undermined trust with many health care professionals and frontline workers.
In early October the Liberal government reintroduced Bill 41, the Patients First Act, which is their attempt to follow through on their commitment to health-care transformation. Before a company makes plans to implement changes in their business, they consult with experts and front line workers who really know the business and what needs attention. However, without consulting with doctors or front line workers, the government rolled out Bill 41.
Premier Wynne should be focused on fixing the problems that exist in our health care system, but instead she has once again let us down by asking her privatization expert to “maximize the value” of Ontario’s eHealth assets. We are deeply concerned that the same advisor who recommended selling off Hydro One – against the will of the vast majority of Ontarians – will now be reviewing the future of Ontario’s electronic health records.
Bill 41 will also eliminate the Community Care Access Centres (CCACs) and expand the role of Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs). In fact, the LHINs’ mandate is being expanded even though the Liberal government failed to complete the 5-year review of LHINs, as is required by law. LHINs are now planning on taking a local approach to healthcare. This bill also provides sweeping powers for the Minister of Health and LHIN CEOs to impose decisions on local patient care. Ontario doctors have stated they do not believe it is in the best interest of Ontarians to allow the Minister and LHIN CEOs to have the power to make unilateral decisions on patient care. New Democrats support the doctors’ position that health resources should be focussed on front-line care, not on redundant bureaucracy and administration.
It will interest you to know that Ontario’s taxpayer watchdog, Auditor-General Bonnie Lysyk condemned both the LHIN and CCAC stating that less money was spent on providing homecare services because administrative costs (which included CEO bonuses) mushroomed to a whopping 40%, As well; she criticized LHINs effectiveness as they scored only 6 out of 15 performance criteria.
Bill 41 also fails to address the real problem in home care: the truth is that successive Conservative and Liberal government have created a broken home care system, where private profits come before people and patient care. In fact, in total there is very little in Bill 41 to actually improve home care for Ontarians. It is disappointing that the government will continue to force people to wait for the home care they need, while leaving many home care workers underpaid and undervalued.
As always, please feel free to contact my office about these issues, or any other provincial matters. You can reach my constituency office by email at mmantha-co@ndp.on.ca or by phone at 705- 461-9710 or Toll free 1-800-831-1899.
MPP Michael Mantha, Algoma-Manitoulin
