Major Cuts to Niagara's Hospitals Threaten our Health

Niagara’s Hospitals are Particularly Hard Hit

The NHS has to find cuts to eliminate a budget deficit of approx. $16 million this year and $15 million next year, even though all experts agree that the hospital system is grossly underfunded.

The Niagara Health System has already announced major cuts to staff and services, including:
Closing the Emergency Rooms and surgical beds – and ultimately the entire hospitals in Port Colborne and Fort Erie. These ERs saw more than 40,000 patients last year -- patients who will now have to travel into St. Catharines, Welland and Niagara Falls. This is threatening to overwhelm our already overstretched ERs and hospital beds.

Closing birthing and mental health services across the peninsula – all patients will have to travel into St. Catharines further overcrowding the hospital here.

Cuts to hospital beds and other services

The hospital cuts and restructuring plan for Niagara will result in a net loss of hospital services for our whole region. We should be very concerned that our hospital cannot take the influx of patients from all across the Niagara peninsula as services are cut and closed down.

What We Can Do: Take Our Fight to Jim Bradley

Did You Know?
Ontario’s hospitals are funded $100 less per person than hospitals in other provinces. This equals $1.2 billion in total less than other provinces. McGuinty is forcing these cuts by funding the NHS at less than the rate of inflation. It is very important that our local Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) Jim Bradley, hears from us in St. Catharines, that we are concerned and want him to stop the cuts.

April 4 : Mass leafleting day.
Join us at the market square at 8:00 am or at the CAW Hall, 124 Bunting
St. Catharines at Noon . We will be leafleting for two hours.

April 8: Planning Meeting Niagara Health Coalition
CAW Hall , 124 Bunting RD, 7:00 pm

April 18: Join in the Cross Province Protest at
Jim Bradley’s office at noon. Unit 2, 2 Secord Drive, St. Catharines,

Write/call/email Jim Bradley our local MPP:
Unit 2, 2 Secord Drive, St. Catharines, ON, L2N 1K8
T: 905-935-0018 F: 905-935-0191 E: jbradley.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org
Write/call/email Premier Dalton McGuinty:
Room 281, Main Legislative Building, Queen’s Park, Toronto, ON, M7A 1A4
T: 416-325-1941 F: 416-325-3745 E: dmcguinty.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org

Volunteer with the Niagara Health Coalition: 905-932-1646

Quebec Election : Interesting Tidbits

Quebec Solidaire co-leader Amir Khadir won the party's first ever seat in Mercier.

Former Quebec Green Party leader Scott McKay was elected as a PQ member in l'Assomption.

Former CSQ President Monique Richard was elected as a PQ member from Marguerite D'Youville.

Canada's First Federal NDP Cabinet Ministers

1. Jack Layton (ON)
2. Tom Mulcair (QC)
3. Libby Davies (BC)
4. Judy Wasylycia-Leis (MB)
5. David Christopherson (ON)
6. Linda Duncan (AB)

Of course, it's just a prediction in the event that this coalition falls into place. The MSM is reporting that the NDP will get 6 cabinet seats. The NDP contingent will surely be regionally balanced and conform to the principle of gender parity.

Layton is a no-brainer. Davies has been a loyal Layton foot soldier and a solid performer. Wasylycia-Leis is also one of the party's shining stars in the House. Mulcair is in because he has cabinet experience and is from Quebec. Christopherson also has cabinet experience in the Rae government. My last pick was Duncan - admittedly, she's a rookie, but she'd make a wonderful Environment Minister. If not Duncan, expect Godin or Jack Harris to get the nod to give Atlantic Canada some representation in the NDP mini cabinet.

Hey Bob Rae, Fire Your Editor

Check this out. Front and centre on his leadership campaign website:

“I have the judgment, the character, the values and the experience to lead at very difficult time in the life of our country.”

And they said Dion had a poor command of the English language...

Party Questions for Blogging Dippers

Calling all Blogging Dippers... I need your help gathering info (that should be readily accessible, but is not) concerning leadership selection methods in NDP provincial sections.

I know Ontario mimics the federal leadership selction process and that Manitoba recently reverted to the delegated convention from a system of One Member One Vote. But what about the other provinces? Any idea... delegated convention, OMOV, or some other method?

Also, I'm wondering which provincial sections have spaces reserved for Labour representatives in the executive structure.

Leaving a comment with any insight would be greatly appreciated...

This Blog is on Extended Hiatus

I have no idea when I will start blogging again. In the meantime, check out the archives.

Jack Layton and Malcolm Allen Talk About the Economy in Niagara

Layton was the first leader to visit the Niagara Region during the campaign.

Meanwhile, in Provincial Politics....

The NDP is still leading the polls in Nova Scotia. The most recent numbers from CRA were published yesterday.

Nova Scotia
NDP 36%
Tories 33%
Liberals 28%

Newfoundland and Labrador
Tories 78%
Liberals 14%
NDP 7%

New Brunswick
Liberals 49%
Tories 34%
NDP 14%

Michael Prue and Separate School Funding in Ontario

NDP leadership candidate Michael Prue made his campaign relevant for five seconds before promptly withdrawing his comments on separate school funding... sigh.

But he quickly ran into a bit of hot water by suggesting the NDP's policy supporting public funding of Catholic schools should be reviewed.

Prue says he thinks "it is time" that the party takes a look at the issue.

As handlers tried to stop the news conference, Prue insisted he wasn't trying to re-open the debate about religion and schools that caused so much trouble for Conservative Leader John Tory in last year's election.

And he insisted it would be up to someone else to bring forward the idea of changing the policy on school funding at the NDP's leadership convention next March.

Any candidate who is willing to champion this issue will carve out a pretty decent chunk of support. Do any of them have the political will?

Michael Prue to Run for NDP Leadership

First Bisson, now Prue. This NDP leadership camapign is shaping up to be the most boring contest in Ontario political history. We can expect announcements from Peter Tabuns and Andrea Horwath shortly, but that won't help much in my view. Among the four, Tabuns should be considered the front-runner.

Why Gilles Bisson's Campaign for the NDP Leadership Will Falter

Gilles Bisson, NDP MPP for Timmins-James Bay is the first candidate to announce his intention to replace Howard Hampton as Ontario NDP leader. He has little chance of winning. He should be considered a token candidate from the North. Why can't he win?

1. He's too much like Howard Hampton (male, tied to the Rae government, and from Northern Ontario).
2. Despite being at Queen's Park since 1990, he has little name recognition. This won't help in a OMOV election.
3. He voted against the Endangered Species Act.
4. I can't imagine he will muster much, if any, support from the party's tiny caucus.

Petition Calls on Ontario NDP to Lower Leadership Race Entry Fee

Ontario New Democrats may be interested in signing this petition. A $15,000 entry fee seems a bit high given that the federall party only required $7,500 to enter the leadership race that elected Jack Layton.

Nova Scotia NDP Majority on the Horizon?

The Nova Scotia NDP has been close to majority territory for over a year now, hovering between 35 and 39% in provincial polls. The most recent poll has the NDP at 38% while the Liberals have 30% and the governing Tories have the support of just 27% of the electorate. Nova Scotia has seen its share of minority government in recent years, but could the NDP's first majority government in Atlantic Canada finally be on the horizon?

Vote for Morgentaler

Abortion rights activist Dr. Henry Morgentaler will receive the Order of Canada. The Globe & Mail is asking its readers what they think. I can't think of anyone more deserving. Vote online here.

Ontario NDP Leadership Convention: Delegated or OMOV?

The last Ontario NDP leadership convention in 1996 was a delegated convention, but I’ve heard from several people that the party has adopted a one-member, one-vote system for the 2009 convention. I haven’t been to an NDP convention in years. Can anyone confirm or deny this?

The format would almost certianly have a strong effect on the result. I doubt Hampton could have won a OMOV contest in 1996.

Kormos Coy on NDP Leadership Bid

From the Niagara Falls Review:

Asked if he'd be throwing his hat in for the party's leadership, Kormos repeated, "There's going to be all sorts of competent people putting their names forward, and I'm sure the people of Ontario will be excited by the campaign for the leadership of the New Democratic Party."

Ontario NDP Leadership: The Odds are In

Who Will Run for Leader of the Ontario NDP?

Here are the odds…

(2 to 1) Peter Tabuns. In actual fact, his leadership campaign started months ago. This former Greenpeace bigwig brings green credentials to the NDP and much of the Layton machine in Toronto Danforth will be supporting this charismatically-challenged MPP.

(3 to 1) Joe Comartin. This Windsor area MP was first elected in 2000 and finished with a disappointing result in the 2003 Federal NDP leadership race that crowned Jack Layton. Comartin clearly has leadership aspirations and will likely appeal to those who think the party needs someone from outside Queen’s Park to lead the team. The fact that he is from an area that is dominated by the Liberals provincially will make him an appealing candidate in a party with a tiny caucus with members who are not interested in stepping aside for a new leader.

(4 to 1) Micheal Prue. Prue has been rumoured to be interested in the job for some time, but it’s not clear which camps in the party he can appeal to and how he can differentiate himself from the other candidates. In a field of relative newcomers, he could argue that he is the most experienced, having served both provincially and municipally for many years, but that argument is unlikely to get him that far.

(4 to 1) Andrea Horwath. Elected in a 2004 by-election and re-elected in 2007, Horwath is still relatively unknown at Queen’s Park. However, the Hamilton area MPP’s name keeps popping up in leadership discussions. She is the most likely woman to run for the job.

(5 to 1) Cheri DiNovo. She seems like the perfect candidate. Urban, articulate, female, a fighter who overcame a smear campaign to beat the Liberals and what was considered a safe Liberal seat. She is relatively new, but has impressed many folks in and around Queen’s Park. Problem is, there is no evidence that she is actually interested in the leader’s job. She is more likely to endorse Tabuns than run herself.

(7 to 1) Peggy Nash. If this rookie Federal MP loses her Parkdale-High park seat to Gerard Kennedy in a federal election that takes place well in advance of the March 2009 Ontario NDP convention, she could conceivably run for ONDP leader as a consolation prize. She would have a great shot and lots of support, but this scenario is very unlikely.

(8 to 1) Marilyn Churley. This former MPP was no fan of Hampton. That’s why she left to take a stab at federal politics. She is still trying to break through as the current Federal NDP candidate in Beaches East-York. Besides, if she did win the Ontario NDP leadership, she’d have to ask potential leadership rivals Prue or Tabuns to step aside for her – an unlikely scenario. If a credible woman runs for the leadership of the Ontario NDP, expect Churley to endorse her.

(10 to 1) Peter Kormos. He ran for the leadership in 1996 and finished third, but his star has been rising in the party ever since. That said, Kormos has always maintained that the Ontario NDP needs to move beyond the Rae years and everybody associated with it. For better or for worse, Kormos was a controversial figure in the party during those years. Look for Kormos to be appointed interim leader sometime between now and the convention in March 2009 (especially if a credible left-wing candidate fails to emerge).

(50 to 1) Frances Lankin. This former MPP and current head of the Toronto United Way finished second to Howie in 1996. She was supposed to win. Will she answer the calls of the many New Democrats who are telling her that they won’t make the same mistake twice? Probably not.

(100 to 1) David Miller. The Mayor of Toronto is now a former New Democrat. However, re-joining the party would instantly make him the front-runner in this race. But why would he give up City Hall to be the leader of a third party rump at Queen’s Park.

Hampton To Step Down as Ontario NDP Leader

It took about a decade too long, but Howard Hampton has finally announced his intention to step down. The rumoured front runners to replace him are:

Beaches-East York MPP Michael Prue, Cheri DiNovo of Parkdale-High Park, Toronto-Danforth MPP Peter Tabuns and Hamilton Centre MPP Andrea Horwath.

You can read my old posts about this anticipated Ontario NDP leadership contest here, here and here.

Atheism in Canada

A recent poll reveals that roughly one quarter of Canadian do not believe in a god. Among young Canadians, 36% do not beleive in a god. Encouraging figures.

How Low Can He Go?

Dion's approval rating sinks to just 10%.