The buzz in the City of Toronto is that Ontario Health Minister George Smitherman is contemplating a run at the City’s top job. In a recent speech at the Toronto Board of Trade, many people who were there and heard the speech feel hes either testing the waters for a mayoral run or has already decided he will.
Also, in a recent interview on CFRB Toronto Councillor Rob Ford spoke with Leslie Roberts saying that once he settles his “personal issues” he will definitely be running against Mayor David Miller. In a survey of CFRB callers before Rob Ford came on, there was strong support for Rob to run.
You can tell things are getting antsy in the City of Toronto when more than 2 years before the next municipal election you are seeing high profile candidates preparing for a run at the top job.
I know the City of Toronto is a bigger place with a lot more on the line as it seems than lets say the Town of Milton. But what would your reaction be if one of the sitting councillors here said, “Oh ya, Im going to run for Mayor of Milton.” Thats 2 years away. I think theres a few issues that need some immediate attention other than ones political career…especially in Toronto.
To be honest I think Mr Smitherman should be working on his governments promises of reducing wait times in our emergency rooms and improving our health care system. And not just in the City of Toronto. The province is grossly understaffed in doctors and nurses and the ones we have now are being stretched to the limit. In the coming years, Ontario will see more doctors and nurses retire than anytime in history, while the number of people entering the field wont be enough to cover the short fall. This means family doctors will be harder to find, emergency rooms will be like madhouses, people wont have places to go to get regular checkups, families that have children with autism will continue to lag on the waiting lists for much needed funding and too many more issues to mention here.
Many people who frequent Milton hospital are running into some issues. Milton’s population is now over 70,000 and in a short time will be getting close to 100,000. One major thing thats been ignored over these years? The roads? Yes. But just as important if not MORE important…The hospital.
And to be clear, people have to realize (before the start blaming the town, which is a sport it seems here) that funding for the hospital comes from the province. There are some drastic needs that our hospital faces in the coming years. It needs to expand…now.
The same kind of problems was faced in Brampton. For years, Peel Memorial (then called William Osler Health Centre) was the only hospital in town. One hospital for almost 400,000 people. It only took about 10-15 years to get another health care facility opened in Brampton and recently Peel Memorial has closed down, creating a huge vacuum of need there.
Milton Hospital, if not addressed soon…can be headed the same way. Recent estimations of Milton’s future population growth see it reaching 170,000 and maybe even more in the next 20 years. We could be facing the same issues Brampton has if we dont do something about it now. This province needs a full time health care minister and not a part time mayoral candidate. With this speech and others like it to come, Smitherman will be dogged by the media to find out when hes going to be running, if hes going to be running, what will his platform be, etc all the while the hospitals go unchecked.
On the other hand, the hospital is making the improvements it can, especially with the CT scanner and the fund raising involved in it. Through the generosity of many Milton residents and businesses, Milton hospital now has the CT scanner up and running.
The importance of this issue just isnt prevalent in adults and corporations. Recently a friend of my son Anthony had a birthday party and included in his invitation was a request. In lieu of presents he would like the guests to his party to make a donation to the CT scanner in Milton hospital. Through a small group of kids, they raised $250 and he personally delivered it to the hospital.
Too bad it seems that the provincial government doesnt show the same concern to our hospital as does this 8 year old and his friends. Smitherman has time after time made claims that they are fixing the problems in our hospitals, all the while people are stuck in the waiting room looking for care.
I know in some cases, there are people who really shouldnt be in our emergency rooms and going to either a walk in clinic or their family doctor would be more productive and less of a strain on our emergency room staff. There are legitimate cases where care is needed NOW, but they are forced to either wait, suffer or try to find another hospital that can take them.
The fact that Smitherman, a full 31 months before the next election, is “shaking the bushes” shows his concerns lie somewhere else and not in Ontario’s health care system. If being Mayor George is important to him, maybe he should call Dalton and ask that he be replaced in the health care file so that someone who isnt worrying about his next political step can take charge and make real changes to hospitals and health care in our province.
Step aside George.