News from the Welland Riding constituency offices of Malcolm Allen and Cindy Forster
Welland, Ontario, March 20th, 2015-NDP MP Malcolm Allen and MPP Cindy Forster joined Save the Welland Hospital Campaign’s Sue Hotte, Welland Mayor, Frank Campion and Ontario Health Coalition’s Natalie Mehra this March 20th to highlight the detrimental impacts the proposed closure of Welland Hospital will have on local communities.
“The Welland Hospital is an integral part of south Niagara’s healthcare network,” noted Forster. “People of Niagara need healthcare services that are easily accessible, and the closure of the Welland Hospital will have devastating impacts on our community.”
Stemming from a 2012 report delivered by NHS supervisor Kevin Smith titled Restructuring of the Niagara Health System, the closure of the hospital would mean the loss of South Niagara’s only emergency medical department and two extended hour urgent care centers—along with numerous other health care services.
“We’re beginning to see the real world impacts of the Conservative government’s $36 billion cut in health transfers—it’s affecting real lives,” stated Allen. “Healthcare is the backbone of our community; it must be given the priority it deserves.”
Allen and Forster closed their remarks by encouraging supporters to join them in their fight to save the hospital. Currently, an ongoing petition has nearly 6000 signatures, with a goal of 10,000, when it will be presented to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. The Save the Welland advocacy group will be hosting a fundraising dinner on March 26th.
For more information on Save the Welland Hospital please visit https://www.facebook.com/Savewellandhospital
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Niagara At Large 
I wonder what Wayne Gates has to say about that. Family cat fights can be SO entertaining eh?
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At least the NDP isn’t hiding under the table about hospital closures. Andrea Horvath was regularly at Fort Erie protests & also at hearings held by the Ontario Health Coalition. I’ve heard her take back comments from these meetings to Queens’ Park…verbatim. Tim Hudak showed up once in his home town for a photo op. Didn’t work did it Timmy?
A few supporters from Welland & Port Colborne showed up regularly (Fiona, John, Toppol, etc.) because they had the insight to realize the importance of the issue & to realize they would be next.
Bit by bit our so called leaders are chipping away at our health care with costly “private/public” enterprises that are way too costly, inefficient for everyone except moneyed investors & enabling decay of our previously efficient & inclusive system allowing it to be taken over by foreign investors & insurance companies who are lobbying rigorously & paying off our crooked politicians. I could NEVER comprehend why middle men, insurance companies, could dictate the type of health care we receive, as in the US, when they never touch a patient. Could someone explain that to me? Perhaps I’m just not too bright!
Most advances for the average Joe have come, not from the Liberals or Conservatives, but from the thorn in their shoes, the NDP.
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The Province now has a policy in place, that requires consolidation of Hospitals and the same for School closures , “pack ’em in like sardines” in a can, also con the Municipalities to add millions of their tax dollars to finance such arbitrary closures, Fort Erie Town council, is one of the more recent group of people scammed by the DSBN of $3 million dollars to pay for a needless building to be used as a theatre and ceremonies. This is the Provincial method of keeping the people in line. while appearing to be the good guy’s working for the people.
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