Ontario PC leader calls MPP Smith a cheerleader

Ontario PC leader Tim Hudak paid a visit to North Bay Friday and took the opportunity to meet with executive members of the chamber of commerce followed by a news conference where he addressed issues with the HST, Bill 191 'Far North Act' and at the same time promised to scrap the LHIN system in the province.

Standing outside of the chamber office Hudak told reporters that if changes aren't made to Far North Act northern jobs and its economy will be put in a permanent straight-jacket. He vows if his party forms the next government they will repeal the bill.

“Bill 191 will kill jobs because it will freeze northern Ontario in time to create one giant park,” he states.

“This bad bill will make a difficult situation even worse for northern Ontario families. The Ontario PC's have a very different priority and that's job creation.”

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Hudak than turned his attention to the North East Local Health Integration Network's decision to move 31 mental health beds from the Bay to Sudbury. He took aim at Nipissing MPP Monique Smith saying she is happier being Premier Dalton McGuinty's cheerleader in the matter then protect the interests of her constituents in Nipissing.

“We strongly oppose the decisions that have come about from Dalton McGuinty's LHINs based on the Ombudsman's recommendations. These have come about from closed door plainly illegal meetings and we challenge the legitimacy of their decisions. In fact we call for all of these decisions to be reviewed.”

“And quite frankly after a discussion with the members of the Concerned Citizen's Committee today I'm very disappointed that the local MPP Monique Smith is not standing in the way of moving these beds in fact she seems to be rolling out the red carpet to send those jobs and beds to Sudbury.”

“These LHINs are nothing but massive regional health bureaucracies that Dalton McGuinty uses as a shield when he wants to close down beds, close down ER's or layoff nurses. They are bloated and expensive bureaucracies that have taken some $200-million out of front line care. (They are) People who don't do one single surgery, they don't spend on single moment with patients, and they don't do one MRI. The PC government would eliminate those LHINs and put every dollar into front line patient care instead.”

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Smith reminds Hudak that it was the Ontario PC government who made the decision to move the beds years ago.

The Ontario Liberal Party also fired back in a news release calling Hudak's health care stand hypocrisy.

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Hudak’s health care hypocrisy is in full swing today. Committed to removing grassroots voices from community health care decision-making, Ontario Conservatives champion more Harris-style cuts.

Facts:

- Tim Hudak and the Ontario Conservative Party advocate an annual $2 billion cut to Ontario’s health care system.
Tim Hudak served as Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Health under the Harris government – and worked to close 28 hospitals, get rid of 7,110 beds, and fire 6,200 nurses.

- The previous Conservative government ignored the needs of local communities, and made all decisions about health care from Queen’s Park.

- Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs) were created by the McGuinty government to give communities a local voice in health care decisions which have a direct impact on local patients—ultimately resulting in better care.
Appointments to the LHIN boards are advertised online and open to applicants with health care and management expertise.

- All LHIN appointments are subject to review by all-party committee. Of all appointees called to committee, the Conservatives have supported ¾ of applicants.

Tim Hudak’s agenda for health care is clear – cut more than $2-billion in annual funding for frontline health care. When it comes to health care in Ontario, Hudak just doesn’t get it.

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