MPP Ted Arnott Supports PC Leader John Tory’s Health Care Motion

Waterloo-Wellington MPP Ted Arnott spoke in support of Ontario PC Leader John Tory’s motion calling on the Provincial Government to address financing issues facing Ontario’s hospitals. Mr. Arnott as part of a team of 12 P.C. MPPs spoke the motion in the Ontario Legislature on April 13th.

Speaking to the issues of hospital funding and planning, Mr. Arnott again raised the need to move forward with approvals for the redevelopment of the Groves Memorial Community Hospital in Fergus.

“Mrs. Janet Vallery, the chair of the Groves Hospital Foundation, and her team of volunteers and staff have spearheaded an enormously successful fundraising effort which has raised $14.3 million -- approximately 96% of their targeted goal of $15 million. We were very encouraged recently by the visit to the Fergus hospital of the Ministry of Health's director of capital planning, Bill Bailey. Our capable executive director, Carolyn Skimson, has been working closely with ministry staff to obtain approval for the next stage of the redevelopment project, which will allow the hospital to commence functional planning and design planning,” he informed the House.

“There is a strong sense of anticipation in our community, given the success of our local fundraising effort, and we are now waiting for the provincial government to do the right thing and allow us to move ahead. The minister can be assured that if our area is not treated fairly, he will hear from its Member of Provincial Parliament,” Mr. Arnott said, speaking of his own commitment.

The motion, supported by PC and NDP members was defeated by the Liberals.

“I am disappointed that Government members voted the motion down. A constant issue that I hear from hospital administrators is the fact that the Provincial Government is too late, year after year, informing the hospitals of their annual funding,” Mr. Arnott said after the vote.

“The hospitals’ fiscal year began on April 1st. Why is it that the Ministers of Finance and Health can’t get their collective act together and tell the hospitals of Ontario how much money they are going to be receiving for the coming year, and give them this information before their fiscal year begins so that they can begin to plan their budgets in a timely way. Surely this is a common sense reform that could have been implemented this year. But here we are on April 13th and another opportunity has been missed because this Liberal Government has no plan and has yet to demonstrate competence that the people of Ontario rightly expect of their Government,” he concluded.