Well, so much for that promise. Health Minister says government cannot re-develop JBMH if it loses the budget vote on Tuesday.

By Pepper Parr

BURLINGTON, ON  April 20, 2012   The Minister of Health and Long Term Care Deb Matthews has conference calls with the Mayor and assures him that all is well and the funding for the Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital is in place and we’ve no need to worry our heads one little bit.

The Mayor has a meeting with the Minister responsible for Infrastructure Ontario, the government arm that handles the actual construction of major projects, and they explain how that organization works and assures Mayor Goldring that everything is fine.

Then there is an announcement that the hospital is going to get $22.5 million to build the hospital when all the hospital needed short term was $9million.

Somewhere along the way the Premier of the Province strolls into the offices of the local thrice weekly newspaper saying he`d just like to have a friendly chat.  Something like that hasn’t happened before.

Then there are a set of Robo Calls that target Jane McKenna, the Burlington member of the provincial legislature who has been entirely out of the loop on the hospital re-development.  Her predecessor, Joyce Savoline at least visited the hospital and toured the place.

Will Burlington MPP Jane McKenna take a sick day on Tuesday or will she vote against the budget and bring down the government forcing another election? She will be looking at one of the shortest political careers on record if she does.

McKenna gets bush whacked by the phone calls that result in a reported 1000 calls to her office.  McKenna being a bit of a newbie at the game of politics doesn’t handle the situation all that well.

Behind the scenes in all this, is some tough negotiations between the leader of the New Democratic Party and the government.  Andrea Horvath, the NDP leader folds on one of her demands – that the provincial portion of the HST tax be taken out of home heating sales.

The vote on the budget is to take place in four days and the public is crystal clear on not wanting another election.  When it comes to getting into office and having all that power at your fingertips, what the public wants isn’t a significant part of the recipe.  The game is to determine just how close to the wire you can get and still stay in office.  Sort of like adults playing a game of chicken.

What is a citizen of Burlington supposed to do with all this?  The hospital is a mess, it’s actually not a very good hospital – we speak of the structure – not the staff.  The building has had its day and needs to be replaced – quickly.  One basic requirement for any hospital is the ability to quarantine patients if necessary – they can`t do that at JBMH.

Everyone is scurrying around but the hospital says nothing publicly.

The Liberal government puts pressure on both Ted Chudleigh, provincial member for Halton and Jane McKenna.  McKenna crashes the Minister’s tour of the hospital, but then stays in the background.  Why McKenna didn’t confront the Minister publicly, and demand that she meet the promise she made to the residents of Burlington, is beyond me.  There was a missed opportunity to show the people of Burlington that she was standing up for them and not touting the Progressive Conservative party line.

It is going to be an interesting weekend for the politicians.  McKenna might find that she has the flu Tuesday morning and isn’t able to get out of bed and get into the Legislature.  These things do happen – it`s going around you know.

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4 comments to Well, so much for that promise. Health Minister says government cannot re-develop JBMH if it loses the budget vote on Tuesday.

  • ken r colombo

    Early morning column intended to defeat a logical mind.

    Quote

    McKenna, “Jo Brant redevelopment safe as budget deal reached. Burlington MPP Jane McKenna won’t vote for the provincial budget on Tuesday, but remains relieved it will pass after a deal reached by NDP leader Andrea Horwath and Premier Dalton McGuinty. That means Ontarians will avoid a snap election and Burlingtonians have secured funding for the $312-million Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital redevelopment project.”

    Supplied photo; totally unnecessary

    https://www.insidehalton.com/news/article/1341445–jo-brant-redevelopment-safe-as-budget-deal-reached

    I haven’t laughed so hard since a prior noteworthy occupied the position of MPP and Bigliardi’s Steak House closed down due to sharply reduced volumes when the former occupant departed.

  • ken r colombo

    Angela Horwath doo’d it, Big Time, in Spades.

    Salut … Angela!

    Hutton ( nee Hudak ) Tim-Bits, eat yer large intestine.

    https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1166296–ontario-budget-mcguinty-and-horwath-in-last-ditch-talks-to-prevent-election

  • ken r colombo

    It does appear that a “reasonable, well-intentioned, logical approach, can carry the day. Salut … Andrea!

    Quotes from another media source: Windsor Star

    1. “Thanks to NDP Leader Andrea Horwath (no thanks to Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak), we don’t have to suspend government for weeks while the province goes to pot, pay $100 million that we don’t have for an election and waste a lovely spring going to the polls, all for the second time in six months.

    2. A new group called Doctors for Fair Taxation is actually asking the provincial and federal governments to raise their taxes. They’re recommending going further than Horwath, creating four new tax brackets for those making more than $100,000. Those making $100,000 would pay an extra one per cent. If you’re raking in more than $1.85 million, you’d pay six per cent more. “Tax us,” goes their slogan. “Canada is worth it!” “It’s a small price to pay for a more civilized Canada,” founder Dr. Michael Rachlis has been quoted as saying.

    I keep a full catheter bottle on hand at all times in the hope Tim Hudak might be on the prowl in my neighbourhood. This, despite the fact most people see him as being trapped in a wind-shear of unpopularity, which is no doubt causing a mighty uncomfortable chafing for his caucus. I’ve asked the Speaker for a recorded vote which would include any party absences.

    https://www.windsorstar.com/news/Jarvis+Horwath+demands+fair/6501590/story.html

  • ken r colombo

    Greetings from an obtuse, blunt-spoken, crassly cynical, “we’ve all been there before,” adherent with a tendency to Great Expectorations … PFFHHHTOOEY!!!

    If the ‘Tim Hudak team’ can force an election, they will !!! I say ‘team’ because anyone deviating from the ‘team core principles,’ will be soundly thrashed and promptly banished from the inner circle. The ‘team core principle’ is to refuse to state your political objectives in a clear, concise manner.

    Example:

    Hudak says his caucus will vote unanimously against the budget. He did not say what he doesn’t like in the budget, or does he offer any indication of what his alternatives might be.

    Hopefully Andrea Horwath, who is wise beyond her years, will maintain a steady focus on the fact nobody in the province, in their right mind, wants an election.

    I’ve watched Andrea and her caucus members in the Legislative Assembly. I can say I am proud of them when they rise to speak because they bring forward the realization, they too, realize the province is going through a very troubling fiscal period.

    The reality is that whoever shall cause an election will reap a political whirlwind.

    Ed Note: Did we detect a bit of a political preference here? No problem with that.