LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO

Official Record of Debate
(Hansard)

HOSPITAL FUNDING
April 22, 2005

Mr. Ted Arnott (Waterloo-Wellington): My question is for the Minister of Health. Does the minister think it's appropriate that an Ontario resident who needs an operation to alleviate her excruciating pain and save her one remaining kidney should have to pay $10,000 to have that operation?

Hon. George Smitherman (Minister of Health and Long-Term Care): I'm particularly not in a position to discuss individual cases, especially when the honourable member brings forward no information.

Mr. Arnott: More than seven weeks ago, I raised this issue with the Minister of Health in this House: the problem faced by my constituent Janice Fraser. My office and Janice's doctor, Dr. Stanley Flax, have been working for months to help Janice get the bladder operation she needs: the installation of a neuro-stimulator, which we're now told will cost Janice up to $10,000. Yesterday Janice's story was told on page one of our legislative clippings, from a story in the Toronto Sun. Seven weeks ago in this House, the Minister of Health assured me he would do what he could to help Janice. To the best of my knowledge, he's done nothing. Now Janice's parents are having to go to service clubs in our area to try to raise the $10,000 they don't have for Janice's operation.

What kind of health care system is this government operating that contemplates paying for sex-change operations but won't pay for a neuro-stimulator that Janice Fraser needs?

Hon. Mr. Smitherman: For as long as I'm in this Legislature, I will never slink to the depths that member does, to trade one Ontarian off against the other. That is disgusting. It's just disgusting. And the other part that's disgusting is that the honourable member thinks the Minister of Health, responsible for health care services for 12.4 million Ontarians, sits in the office over there and directs the health care system to prioritize its files on the basis of how much political heat a member can bring.

In the instance of this very particular case that the honourable member brings forward, if he wished to be factual, which he clearly doesn't, he would know that the hospital where this surgery is to be performed has worked tirelessly to ensure that the honourable member's constituent is being treated appropriately in the circumstance. Is this a health care system where I prefer to be in a situation where I acknowledge that not every service we wish to be provided could be, the next day? No, it isn't --

The Speaker (Hon. Alvin Curling): Thank you. New question.