NDP MPPs have solutions to Ford health care crisis in Northen Ontario – “If the conservatives won’t do it, we will”.

THUNDER BAY – NDP MPPs Lise Vaugeois (Thunder Bay – Superior North) and NDP health critic France Gélinas (Nickel Belt) are not surprised but continue to be disappointed by the complete lack of action on the health care crisis that conservatives have exacerbated in the six years they have held power.

“The best time to fund health care was 25 years ago, the second-best time is now. It is completely unacceptable that in Northern Ontario children must travel up to 1,700 kms away from their home and their family to receive the care they need” said MPP Gélinas. “This government needs to start funding the public health care system as if it is our top priority because it is! We need to see some investments in our public health care system, and it starts by properly funding primary health care teams, home care and hospital care. This is the first steps towards a solution to the Ford health care crisis. It is simply unfair that Northern Ontarians cannot access medical care close to home. If the conservatives won’t do it, an NDP government will.”

“Health care in Northern Ontario is in a state of crisis like we have never seen before. Primary health care teams throughout the region of Thunder Bay-Superior North, have not received an increase to their base funding since 2015. Factoring inflation, their budgets have been cut every year for the last ten years. This is unacceptable” Said MPP Vaugeois “It is also a recipe for failure to have frozen wages for experienced health care providers who have stayed through thick and thin and are expected to mentor new personnel. A close study of northern health care needs and a well-considered distribution of funding can’t come soon enough.”

QUICK FACTS:

• The Ontario Medical Association, along with doctors serving throughout Northwestern Ontario, are asking the government to develop and implement a Northern Physician Workforce strategy
• This includes the creation of a Co-ordination Centre for Northern Ontario that would gather data on system capacity, identify emerging workforce issues and support recruitment and continuing education.
• 2.5 million Ontarians still don’t have access to a family doctor, and this issue is more worst in Northern Ontario
• The Ontario NDP has pushed these requests, and continues to advocate for Ontario’s health care practitioners demands regardless of government inaction