Daily Archives: January 25, 2010

By Doug Draper

In front of a standing committee of Ontario’s legislatures this Jan. 25, Sue Salzer, a Fort Erie resident and head of a ‘Yellow Shirt Brigade’ of residents fighting to preserve hospital services in south Niagara, made the call for fairer access to those vital services for her friends and neighbours.

Yellow Shirt Brigade leader Sul Salzer

In Salzer’s address to the committee, holding public sessions for one day in Niagara Falls, she stressed the concerns so many people in southern and cental communities of the Niagara region feel – that their services are being diminished as the Niagara Health System,  the body the province created for amalgamating hospital services in Niagara, moves forward with its plans to integrate more and more services in a new hospital complex it is building at a west St. Catharines site in north Niagara, at a cost of more than $1.5 billion.

Salzer went on to conclude that additional funds from the province is not the answer to a fiscal hole the Niagara Health System has found itself in.

“It is now (the NH’S's time) to practice fiscal prudence and live within their existing budgets.  It is now time for Health Care Dollars to reach the hospital floor. … With your recommendation, and legislative support, you can start a new trend across Ontario and send the message that you really are concerned about the care of your constituents. …

“That destination should not be the grandiose LHIN Headquarters, or for salaries for the 32 staff supporting a nine member supposed volunteer board. …
“That destination should not be for the $357,000 salary for a non-medical CEO (Debbie Sevenpifer) or the 169 staff on the sunshine list or for more consultants.

To read the full text of Salzer’s address to the provincial legislative committee on financial matters click on and keep reading. Continue reading →

By Doug Draper

The Social Assistance Reform Network of Niagara, a not-for-profit body representing a host of agencies and organization, along with churches and individuals across the region, demanded more social justice for Niagara residents in need during an address one of its leader, Gracia Janes, presented to a standing committee of the government in Niagara Falls this Jan. 25.

Gracia Janes

Among the mesages Janes and the network presented to this standing committee were; * What is more important than an adequate income to provide healthy food for those in need and lower health costs in future? * How can children take full advantage of their schooling if they are hungry, and how can poor parents work if there are not enough child care spaces? * What good is served in adding provincial dollars to the OCB, while taking $s out of the basic benefit.? Don’t children live in families who need an adequate basic benefit in 7 order to feed, clothe and educate them ?

For a full text of Gracia Jane’s remarks to the provincial committee, read on. Continue reading →