By Thomas Walkom National Affairs Columnist, Toronto Star
(You have got to read this column. Finally an editorial writer from the national media gets what is going down in Niagara around our hospital mess, even if the McGuinty government doesn’t.)
For Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty, there is never good news. The C. difficile outbreak in Welland, St. Catharines and Niagara Falls is the latest example.
The deadly bacteria have already killed 17 patients in area hospitals. That in itself is grim. But the politics of the Niagara region’s health system are equally toxic.
For three years, local residents and their elected councillors have been engaged in a kind of guerrilla war with the Niagara Health System (which runs the region’s seven hospitals) and its overseer, the area’s local health integration network.
To read the rest of Thomas Walcom’s column , go to your search engine and click in Thomas Walcom, Niagara Health System and McGuinty. Unfortunately, NAL is haveing some technical difficiults at the moment with the following link to the article – http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1022007–walkom
Niagara At Large 
We owe Mr. Walkom a vote of thanks for paying attention to the actual situation “on the ground” here in the NHS’ hospitals. People outside Niagara need to understand what is happening here, and why.
Minister of Health Deb Matthews made a statement on the c. difficile outbreaks earlier today. She told those in hospitals and those visiting them to WASH THEIR HANDS to avoid spreading the infection.
Deb Matthews continues to provides us with a perfect example, as she washes HER hands of our valid concerns about the role the HIP has played in this outbreak. She thereby washes her hands also of the 21 deaths in NHS hospitals.
Know something, Minister Matthews? You can wash all you like, but those hands are never going to be clean…
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“Out, damn’d spot ! out, I say…” Lady Macbeth
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Mark, I hope you realize that you are now obliged to run around your house nine times, for having quoted from “the Scottish play”…:)
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