Liberal government’s 15 year neglect at heart of current healthcare crisis: MPP Gélinas

During question period, Ontario NDP health critic and MPP for Nickel Belt, France Gélinas, called on the Liberal premier to explain why the Liberal government refuses to acknowledge there is a crisis in healthcare in Ontario, why they continue to underfund hospitals and why, for 15 years, they’ve neglected to take action.

“There is a crisis in Ontario’s hospitals and the premier refuses to admit it,” Gélinas said. “When the CEO of a hospital comes out publically and says they’re being underfunded, we have a problem.”

Recently, Kenora’s Lake of the Woods District Hospital President and CEO blamed their significant deficit on Ministry of Health claw backs. He isn’t alone. Decades of Liberal government cuts and budget freezes have left Ontario hospitals in the dark, health care workers stretched thin and patients facing skyrocketing wait times. Meanwhile, the Conservative leader vows to “leave no stone unturned” guaranteeing $6 billion in more cuts to already depleted services.

“The Liberals have had 15 years to see the crisis in our hospitals coming,” said Gélinas. “They’ve had 15 years to step up, and address the aging of the population, a change that we could see coming for decades.”

“The Premier needs to admit there is a problem,” Gélinas said. “She needs to explain to Ontarians from Kenora to King Street why she isn’t fixing the crisis.”

Ontario New Democrat leader Andrew Horwath recently announced plans to end hallway medicine and reduce wait times that includes, among other initiatives, increasing hospital funding by 5.3 per cent every year to keep pace with growing costs and expanding hospital capacity to meet the growing needs of the province.