A local healthcare advocate is taking another shot at getting residents’ voices heard at the provincial legislature.
Dan Waters, a former NDP MPP for the Muskoka region, is putting on a renewed push to dissolve the current Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare (MAHC) board of directors through a petition with more than 8,000 signatures.
“There’s been no response with respect to the petition sent in late February and read on the Legislature floor… in April,” says Waters. “There’s been no action, so we are taking our petition to the top.”
This time Waters is sending the petition directly to Premier Doug Ford.
Specifically, the petition states the Premier should:
“1. disregard any suggestion or applications by the current Board of Directors to the Ministry of Health for any changes to hospital services at Muskoka Algonquin Health Care and
2. allow the community to choose their Board of Directors in a democratic fashion or dissolve Muskoka Algonquin HealthCare and return to 2 Boards chosen by residents that will work toward sharing services to reduce costs of having 2 hospitals.”
Waters also presented a similar petition to the District of Muskoka with 4,464 signatures earlier this month.
Waters says he’s not optimistic that MAHC will make the necessary changes before project submission, which is set for November. In fact, he says he’s not confident in MAHC Board members in any manner, for any purpose whatsoever.
“I think it’s shameful that the government seems to be trying to unravel a strong healthcare system in the name of profit-centred healthcare. It’s hard to believe that this board isn’t carrying that same torch,” he says. “It seems to me that Muskoka can do better without the current board. We need it replaced with one that is elected by the people. That will offer a better balance in every way.”
The petition is available here.
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Gord Darke says
Keep in mind, the majority of the public fully support the MAHC proposal and want it to move forward as soon a possible.
SSMHC has its head stuck in the sand and does not represent the whole of our communities. SSMHC is looking foolish at this point in the game, cede with some bit of honor. Soon, please.
Norm Raynor says
I doubt the majority of the public support MAHC’s current plan.