LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO

Official Record of Debate
(Hansard)

HOSPITAL FUNDING

October 14, 2004

Mr Ted Arnott (Waterloo-Wellington): I'm very pleased to have this opportunity to speak in support of the resolution brought forward by the member for Nepean-Carleton.

First of all, I want to commend the member for Nepean-Carleton. I'll say that we, the Progressive Conservative caucus at Queen's Park, are very fortunate to have him on our team. He's bright, energetic, passionate about politics and steadfast in his commitment to solid Conservative principles. I wish he were listening to these compliments.

The constituents of Nepean-Carleton are very fortunate, because they have a very effective voice here in the Legislature. His constituents have recognized this by electing him three times -- in 1995, 1999 and 2003 -- when it was tough sledding for the Conservatives in Ontario. The member for Nepean-Carleton and I have something in common. From time to time I'm reminded that for five years following 1990 I experienced the rather dubious distinction of being the youngest MPP in our caucus, until he came along in 1995, and when he did, I was more than glad to pass along that distinction to him. I'm glad he's still with us to this day.

I also want to congratulate the member on his additional responsibilities in the key role as opposition House leader, as I get back to the resolution that he's brought before the House today. His resolution calling for a hospital budget increase is important for his riding and for many communities across the province. I know it is timed very well in terms of re-enforcing the arguments we need to put forward to ensure that hospitals throughout the province receive the funding required to provide the best possible patient care.

In my 14 years as an MPP, I have worked hand in glove with the people who run our hospitals. I've sought their advice on a regular basis. The nurses, doctors, administrators, staff and volunteers on the hospital and foundation boards are the core, the centre of health care in communities like Fergus, where the Groves Memorial Community Hospital serves a much broader catchment area. I'm quite familiar with the Groves memorial hospital and how well they care for people. I was born there in 1963, as were our three boys in the latter half of the 1990s when we were residents of the village of Arthur.

Knowing the great work that is done at this hospital, it is disturbing to see almost every hospital in Ontario in a position now where there is a $600-million shortfall in provincial funding relative to what they require to meet the growing health care needs in their communities. The staff at Groves do a wonderful job at patient care, and in order for them to continue to do their best, I think it's absolutely essential that this government immediately approve their redevelopment plan and allow it to move on to the next stage.

More than $14 million has been raised and pledged by our community for the hospital. We are ready to proceed, but we can't until we get approval from the Ministry of Health for our master plan and for functional planning.

Our community has been waiting for approval, and we have been waiting for a long time. I insist that the ministry move the process along, right now, with the necessary approvals at this stage so the Groves staff can continue their important work. The redevelopment project will be beneficial for health care delivery throughout the hospital's catchment area, and it should not be victim to unnecessary bureaucratic delay.

In Waterloo-Wellington, we are also fortunate to be served by the Palmerston and District Hospital. This hospital, with devoted and compassionate health care providers and effective management, also provides health care that is second to none. I recall a time in the mid-1990s when they, along with the Louise Marshall Hospital in Mount Forest, volunteered to merge, forming the North Wellington Health Care Corp. Their motivation was to ensure they would be in a position to save money and plow those savings back into front-line health services.

Under the current government, the Palmerston hospital, the Mount Forest hospital and the communities they serve are receiving far less than a fair share of funding. Based on calculations provided by hospital staff, the government will take much more in its so-called health care premium than it will invest back into local hospital funding.

To illustrate this point, consider the following: The ministry recently announced it will be providing the hospitals with approximately $108,000 in new funding, or a 1% increase in their budget. Compare this to the $60,000 in 2005 that will be taken from the employees of the merged hospitals because of the new health premium, or more accurately, the income tax this government claims will be going to health care -- $108,000 in new funding to the local hospitals as compared to $60,000 being taken from the employees alone, and $4 million being taken from the catchment area in terms of higher taxes. Where is the fairness in that?

Mr Speaker, I know my time is up. I want to ask all members of this House to support the resolution being brought forward this morning by the member for Nepean-Carleton.