By Doug Draper
“There is only one word to describe our health system and it is chaos,” said Pat Scholfield of Port Colborne toward the beginning of a public hearing the Ontario Health Coalition held this March 9 in Welland, Ontario on the state of services in smaller hospitals across the province.
This sign loomed at public hearings over hospitals, though no Welland city councillors made a presentation at the hearings.
More than 250 people from across the Niagara region attended these bipartisan hearings – a series of which is taking place across the province – to address concerns people have over the loss of services at smaller and rural hospitals in Ontario.
The Niagara hearing featured presentations by more than two dozen individuals and groups, including two mayors (Vance Badeway of Port Colborne and Doug Martin of Fort Erie), the president of the Canadian Auto Workers’ Local 199, Wayne Gates, doctors, nurses, paramedics and others
Almost to a person, those who spoke at these hearings expressed concern for diminishing services at the hands of government bodies unresponsive to them. Some, including Badeway, also spoke of building new health system for their communities despite what is being lost through the province’s status quo.
Some of the presentations drew tears, especially those of relatives and friends of Reilly Anzovino, a Fort Erie teen who died following a traffic accident in her home town shortly after this past Christmas. A provincial inquest has recently been called to determine if she might still be alive today had emergency rooms not been closed at hospitals in Fort Erie and nearby Port Colborne.
Niagara At Large features presentations below or that subscribers can read by clicking on www.niagaraatlarge.com delivered at the March 9 hearings. They include moving messages presented by friends and family of Reilly Anzovino, and they speak for themselves.
We encourage you to offer your views too in the comments boxes below. Keep the discussion and debate on the future of health care services in our Niagara region going.
Niagara At Large 
I think a better word might be shambles
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Doug, I know I am not alone in appreciating your detailed and comprehensive coverage of this singularly important event. I thank you for taking the time to be there from beginning to end. What a contrast with the underwhelming coverage in the Tribune.
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Doug: I was a little worried that the usual thorough coverage you always display would’nt be as good this time because of the little “accident” you had with your notes in the lobby (the notes slipped from a shelf and fell in an indoor fountain) but I needn’t have worried. Your stories have been dead on accurate and complete. Thank You Doug for being the caring and gifted writer that you are.
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You’re absolutely right Fiona – thank you Doug!
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I agree with all of those commenting. Your Niagara At Large Coverage of this issue is stellar, while the local dailies bail on the issue. I didn’t even see any coverage on the March 9 event in those dailies. Maybe I’m missing something. Doubt it. They are all owned by QMI which decides what is printed and what not. So I am told
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Thank you so much Doug for your efforts in a fair discussion, bringing what should be common knowledge to light and for your forum. Your efforts are appreciated. Looking forward, Jane
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