Barbs & Jabs

Want to save health care? Start slashing salaries

Ontario PC Leader John Tory is all heart.
When it comes to health care, Mr. Tory says his aim is to get people off waiting lists and out of pain.
Nice gesture if it wouldn't run the risk of putting our health care on a slippery slope to a total unknown. 
Instead of suggesting Ontario residents waiting for surgery should have access to private clinics for faster service, perhaps Mr. Tory would link up with Liberal Dalton McGuinty, NDP Leader Howard Hampton and Green Party guy Frank de Jong and do some snooping.
To come up with ways to reduce hospital costs, why not take a top-down look at hospital pay slips.
The fact-finding could start by checking the province's Sunshine List.
This is a telling document.
The number of those earning more than $100,000 a year is on the rise and those working in the health care field are joining the list in leaps and bounds.
Close to 60 people at York Region's three hospital are on the current list. Together, they're costing taxpayers nearly $6 million a year.
As well, the CEOs of Markham Stouffville Hospital, Southlake Regional Health Centre and York Central Hospital each earn more than $300,000. 
Southlake's top guy, president Dan Carriere, takes the prize, scoring $356,005 a year. 
While the party leaders are at it, could they explain why a vice-president of strategic alliances and networks at Markham Stouffville made $229,830 in 2006?
Maybe politicians could at least try to reverse their thinking and cut costs, starting at the top.
I'd stand and applaud a premier who had the guts to slash hospital CEOs' salaries by half. If the heads of hospitals can't survive on $150,000 a year, perhaps nurses could take off their inline skates long enough to give budgeting tips.
After all, the front-line workers —  the ones who keep the patients alive —  make about $300,000 a year less than the guy in the big office at Southlake.   
And for goodness sake, could Dalton, John, Howard or Frank could go the extra mile and find out what a hospital strategic alliance and network person does?

Debate shocks campaign to life

Hey folks, I've found a pulse.
After two weeks of dull, drab and dreary, last night's provincial party leaders' debate upgraded the election campaign. Not only was the decision to put the campaign on life support cancelled, it was removed from intensive care and is now in stable condition.
Two seconds after the debate ended, I had an urge to scream: They're alive! 
Yes, the love-in between PC Leader John Tory and New Democrat Leader Howard Hampton was overdone.
Yes, Liberal Premier Dalton McGuinty's whining about how the previous administration saddling him with so much debt forced him to break promises wore thin.
Yes, Green Party leader Frank de Jong was conspicuous by his absence. Whomever determined Mr. de Jong didn't rate a spot on stage should be fired.
For the most part, it was, indeed, a political debate worth watching.
Was there a winner? It depends who you ask.
From my perch, all three did better than expected.
Will the debate impact the end results? Not likely.
Going into this election, the Liberals had a narrow margin. For reasons no one understands, the campaign isn't moving the Grits backward or forward. It means we'll end where we started and elect a Liberal minority government.
Is it a bad thing? It depends on who you ask.

This just doesn't 'ad' up

Saner minds prevailed — we're not going to let a little cervical cancer put a damper on the provincial election campaign.
Ontario's auditor general Jim McCarter has ruled radio and newspaper ads promoting a cervical cancer vaccine to protect teenage girls be pulled until after the Oct. 10 election.
After a writ is served, few government advertisement get approved with Mr. McCarter knowing about them. The only exception would be an urgent matter affecting public health and safety.
Excuse me, but doesn't cancer threaten heath and safety?
The vaccine is offered at schools, while ads encourage parents to sign consent forms.
The jury is no longer out — the most deadly form of human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually-transmitted virus, does cause cancer.
The auditor general should have gone one step further and insisted teenage girls not have sex until after Oct. 10.

Hospital user fee plan doesn't fly

Newmarket-Aurora PC candidate Frank Klees better keep a $5 bill handy. He'll need it when he visits the hospital emergency to get his foot pried out of his mouth.
Mr. Klees is recommending a $5 user fee for hospital visits, suggesting it'll make people think twice about going to an ER instead of a clinic.
It's unnecessary and inefficient for patients to visit a hospital for minor conditions, Klees added. 
But Mr. Klees' suggestion is flawed. A user-fee on hospital visits could backfire, leaving some seniors, women and poor people at risk. It might even violate the Canada Health Act.
It must be noted Mr. Klees is no stranger to controversy when it comes to health care.
During his bid for the PC Party's Ontario leadership, he recommended health care could be delivered by the private sector, yet still billed through OHIP.
In fairness to Mr. Klees, he does have the courage to take stands and he does stick by them. There is nothing wishy washy about him. With Mr. Klees, you know what you're getting.
Still, here's a message to all political candidates: Keep your paws off our medicare system.

God should take a rest

I don't know if it's nurture or nature, but this election campaign has been weird from the get-go.
Example One
Newmarket-Aurora's unofficial Green candidate, Eve Simson, knows how to design a smooth and easy campaign. She's out of the country and is expected to remain so until well after Oct. 10. I'm worried - if Ms Simson wins the election, she'll miss her victory party.
Example Two
Federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty is scheduled to open provincial Markham PC candidate Ki Kit Li's campaign office. Isn't Jim Flaherty the same Jim Flaherty who was joined at the hip with former premier Mike Harris? Isn't Mike Harris the guy every Tory in Ontario is now trying to get the voters to forget? Instead of flies, the PC slogan is, "There Ain't no Harris on Me." Would somebody tell Mr. Li to get with the new Tory program.   
Example Three
A man dropped into The Era-Banner office fit for a fight Wednesday morning. Only trouble is, he's a fussy fighter. I didn't get his name, so I'll call him God.
God wouldn't beat up on just anybody. The Almighty's target was the editor. When God was told the editor was in a meeting, he said he'd stay and speak to her when she was available. Not sure if we should keep the creator of all things waiting, I encouraged him to outline his concern.
God was not pleased I suggested he stoop way down to my level. He did explain we lack so much journalistic know-how, we'd just missed the story of the decade.
I make it a rule not to fight with God. In my very best grandmother-of-nine voice, I asked the context of the big story. According to God, our newspaper was given 12 hours notice that provincial Community Safety and Correctional Services Minister Monte Kwinter was making a big announcement at a Newmarket school. According to God, Newmarket-Aurora Liberal candidate Christina Bisanz was along for the ride.
Even to a dumb-as-a-bag-of-hammers reporter such as myself, I do know if some politician was in town treating money like confetti, it might be news.
Following a quick sweep of the newsroom, no one had any knowledge of Mr. Kwinter's visit. I called Liberal headquarters and was referred to Ms Bisanz's campaign office. I spoke with both Ms Bisanz and her campaign manager. Here's what I learned: The local Liberals do not know God. Nor, did anyone from Ms Bisanz's office send any newspaper a notice regarding Mr. Kwinter in town with money.

They're off .... well, some of them anyway

It looks like a two-party race.
A York Region-wide election sign search carried out Monday afternoon begs the question: Has Ontario gone back to a two-party political system made up of Liberals and Progressive Conservatives?
Would somebody tell the NDP and Green Party or any other parties in the race, Ontario goes to the polls Oct. 10.                                     
On Day 1 of the sign war, it's Oak Ridges-Markham Liberal Helena Jaczek by a nose. Actually, the contest should be: where isn't there a Jaczek sign.
Hard on Ms Jaczek's heals is Newmarket-Aurora PC Frank Klees.
Both experienced campaigners, each knows  it pays to bang up signs at every intersection the very moment the writ is dropped.
Still, there's nothing slow about Newmarket-Aurora Liberal candidate Christina Bisanz.
Yes, sign-wise, Ms Bisanz was out-numbered, but her sings are up at key intersections across the riding.
Newmarket-Aurora New Democrat Mike Seaward has been nominated for a few months, but, the metal plant worker's signs were nowhere in sight. The same goes for New Democrats in York-Simcoe, Markham, Oak Ridges-Markham, Richmond Hill and Vaughan.
Actually, the sign search turned up zip in Vaughan. Despite the fact it's Ontario Finance Minister Greg Sorbara's riding, the only signs spotted there were for real estate agents and garage sales.    
Signs can be telling.
Dalton McGuinty's name does not appear on any Liberal signs, while some PCs are proud to call themselves John Tory candidates..
Oak Ridges-Markham PC candidate Phil Bannon's all-about-me sign includes a very handsome picture of himself, the word "elect" and his name in bold print. Still, Mr. Bannon's signs are true Tory blue and the initial PC sits in the lower right corner. 
An added attraction is showing up on some PC signs — the provincial emblem. For reasons known to no one, the emblem is flaming pink.
Richmond Hill PC candidate Alex Yuan's got one. Maybe he could explain.
When it comes to colour, the provincial Liberals are in transition. Instead of the bright red identical to that on  Canada's flag, the provincial Grits are opting for burgundy.  Does this mean they are trying to distance themselves from their federal cousins?
It must be noted, Markham Liberal incumbent Michael Chan sticks with the old guard. This incumbent's signs are good old-fashioned red.
York-Simcoe PC incumbent Julia Munro's signs are simple —  her name, the traditional Tory blue and the initials PC sitting in the bottom right hand corner. Nice touch.
Driving north on Yonge Street at Holland's Landing, it's hard to miss York-Simcoe Liberal John Gilbank's signs. But, what is it with the people's heads just below the word Liberal. Do the heads represent diversity in the voters or the candidates? Maybe Mr. Gilbank could explain.
Other things noted during the York-Region wide sign search:
*Oak Ridges-Markham federal MP Lui Temelkovski was spotted putting up a Helena Jaczek sign on Woodbine Avenue, suggesting he'd rather have a Liberal by his side than a Tory on his back.
*A sign reading "It's Coming?" on Hwy. 48 in Markham
*Three men putting up a PC sign in Richmond Hill — one hammering, while the other two watched.

Let the fun and games begin

The lies start in six short days.
Even though the writ to launch the Ontario election campaign isn't being dropped until Monday, Lies My Candidate Told Me is taking to the stage.
Premier Dalton McGuinty is trying to grab your vote by giving you a day off.
Vaughan-King-Aurora MP Greg Sorbara made it abundantly clear: If the Liberals are re-elected, Ontario will get a new statutory holiday in February.
The Grits would score more votes if they'd cancel February all together. When it comes to the second month of the year, who needs it? Who likes it? Who cares?
Instead of avoiding work on Labour Day weekend, Progressive Conservative Leader John Tory opened his campaign office in Don Valley West. Actually, he has been out there peddling his party for some time. Nice guy. Nice smile. But why John thinks he can take over the province when he couldn't capture Toronto is beyond me.
To make sure the New Democrats are the party of choice of the working man (and woman), NDP leader Howard Hampton marched in the Labour Day parade. Howard's much like John. Nice guy. Nice smile. But, come on, why doesn't Howard admit there's a lesson to be learned from Gordon Lightfoot's Sundown.
"Sometimes, I think its a sin,
When I feel like I'm winnin' when I'm losin again."
In case you care, the 1990 provincial election remains my very favourite.
When the New Democratics made history and formed the government 17 years ago, the Liberals and Conservatives picked themselves up off the floor and did the customary post-election autopsy. Results showed Ontario went out for a one-night stand and ended up married.
I thought it was a hoot.
Instead of the same old, same old, we had new name, new faces and new mistakes —Premier Bob Rae wasted no time establishing his legacy of reckless spending and, of course, his memorable Rae Days. Take it from me: It was refreshing to have our teachers switch from kissing to bashing the NDP.
Poor Bob. A lot of the scary stuff wasn't his fault. Just as he came into power, the Bank of Canada jacked the Canadian prime rate six points higher than prime in the United States. While it was suppose to fight inflation, it was really done to shock Canada into the Free Trade Agreement.
It was a disaster from the get-go. The made-in-Canada recession threw million of people out of work, decimated the manufacturing sector and left Bob's government deep in the red.
It gave us all goosebumps. Bosses wasted no time telling anyone with a job they were damned lucky to have one. In fact, this job thing got so popular, most of us did the work of two just to prove we could run scared with the best of them. 
Times, they've changed.
I predict two things: Unlike the early '90s, the Oct. 10 election will not be remembered. The Liberals will lose a few seats — it'll be punishment for breaking promises right, left and centre. But in the end, the voters will ask themselves one question. Who died?
Sine the answer will be nobody, the Grits will get re-elected.
And, in keeping with tradition, the provincial Liberals will continue to deliver a milk-toast government.