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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2004-05-12, Page 1Sharon Medd, Assodate Broker M,VA. Appraiser Visit: mis.ca ror Information of Ilstings In Huron/Perth I,It \Iain til.. 1 I t1) 5'7-115()11 Discotule Mosrgagc Canada tnc. Joy Finlayson & Sharon Medd Mortgage Consultants "Finally, a company that starts with a discount" In brief Healthcare Alliance expecting $4.7 million deficit By Laura Cudworth Stratford Beacon Herald The Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance expects to run a $4.7 - million deficit at the end of the year despite new cost-saving measures. The board of directors met recently at Stratford General Hospital, where the board approved an energy conservation initiative to save money. However, to save money in the long term the alliance will have to spend in the short term. To make the four hospitals in the alliance, located in Stratford, St. Marys, Seaforth and Clinton, more energy efficient, changes to lighting and installation of accurate automated ventilation systems, among other measures, will cost about $2.7 million, with an estimated annual energy cost savings of $376,000. "It's a good financial thing and it's a good environmental thing," said Ken Haworth, vice- president of operations. Also, the boilers at Stratford General and St. Marys Memorial will be replaced at a cost of $940,000, with estimated operational savings totaling $250,000 a year. Alliance members are predicting a two per cent increase in funding when the provincial budget is announced May 18. That estimate is included in the deficit prediction. Mr. Haworth said the estimate is conservative but reasonable. The government has been "setting a tone," based on the provincial deficit, he said. The alliance will likely spend about $11.1 million on capital expenditures like imaging equipment. "This is where the pressure is, as far as the alliance is concerned," Mr. Haworth said. Funding of those expenses would be divided among either foundations or the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care and the alliance. Stratford is also looking to hire another orthopedic surgeon to bring the number back up to two, but the hospital has no extra funding for the position, which could mean the money would be taken from somewhere else. Pop. a SPS Grade 4 class goes swimming.. paps 18 Wednesday, May 12, 2004 $1.25 includes GST IIIt Q.LC. Rates Bos GDFo'P,g ElMth % 3Y 3.4% im 4.% Grrawm✓. MayII.MN Satin, W Lj a , CARTIER P ERS FINANCIAL ES -A Rabe Weahh Maagdrou Ca1pany- iuI[jTll I C Ii�l�lllll 26 Main St., Seaforth 527-2222 Two local kids battling leukemia Family health challenges can `change your life pretty darn quick,' says dad By Jason Middleton Expositor Staff The woolen toque Mackenzie Fisher wears at the dinner table on a spring day in his Egmondville home is the firs'Nndication of the battle he's currently waging against leukemia. And, while he's been through several rounds of chemotherapy since he was diagnosed in January, the Fishers are hoping a stem cell transplant from his brother Matthew this fall will help Mackenzie win the war. He and a seven-year-old Mitchell girl are two local kids with leukemia who were the focus of a recent blood donor clinic in Seaforth, drawing 15 new donors. Both Sydney Wettlaufer, of Mitchell, and 17 -year-old Mackenzie were diagnosed this year with acute lympocytic leukemia (ALL), a cancer that is more common amongst children. On Jan. 3, Mackenzie was diagnosed with leukemia by a doctor at the Seaforth Hospital after a rash suddenly appeared on his whole body. In the weeks before, an injury from a December hockey game that refused to heal told Mackenzie that everything was not all right. "I got hit in the knee with a puck in the last game before I went to the hospital and I had a bruise for two months," said Mackenzie. "It was all sorts of different colours." Mackenzie then spent a month in the cancer ward of the London Health Sciences Centre receiving treatment. Jason Middleton photos Mackenzie Fisher, above, of Egmondville, sits with cards from well-wishers while at right, Sydney Wettlaufer, of Mitchell, hugs her special cat who comforts her during treatments. Leukemia is a cancer that begins in the blood. The bone marrow of people with leukemia produces abnormal white blood cells. These abnormal cells crowd the normal white blood cells, red Mood cells and platelets making it hard for the blood to do its job. For Sydney, a tobogganing accident was the beginning of her parents' concerns. "She had fallen off a toboggan and had hurt herself. She was stiff and sore for about a week and she got better;" said Sydney's mom. For weeks the stiffness would return then disappear until the family decided to get x-rays done to see if there Cheryl, Meat packing plants found in contempt of Parliament: Steckle By Matt Shurris Goderich Stinal -Star Editor Canada's meat packing industry has been served notice. Calling it a landmark ruling, Huron -Bruce MP Paul Steckle said some of Canada's meat packing giants were found to he in contempt of Parliament on Monday opening the door for legal action and severe penalties after some of the industry failed to bring forward financial documents. "Normally when people have nothing to hide they're pretty straight forward," said Huron - Bruce MP Paul Steckle. "If you're not in a grow operation and they're checking for grow operations there's no problem in allowing thc police to come in and investigate. But, if you went to the hank and deposited $100,000 and the teller gave you a receipt for $10,000 you would be pretty angry and you would have an investigation done. "Well, that's exactly what we have in the farm case where we have one particular case where a guy sold cattle worth $100,000 and got a cheque for less than $10,000 and this is just one example." Steckle, who serves as chair of the standing committee on agriculture and agri- food, said as of Monday only two mcat packers had filed financial documents. Another three simply ignored a May i0 deadline. An earlier hearing with the meat packers also failed to disclose! financial documents leaving the committee and the speaker of the house with no choice but to find the packers in contempt of parliament. The last time someone was found to be in contempt of parliament was hack in 1913. "It's not something that we wanted to do, nor did we ever think we would go to this point but i think I have made commitments to farmers many times that I would go to whatever,length I had to in order to find out what's going on," Steckle said. "We're simply living up to the commitment we made and we are going to have an investigation done and there are obviously some people and some players in thisogame that won't like what we're doing." In a report to parliament, Steckle and his committee recommended that the government engage an independent body to conduct a comprehensive study of thc competitive aspects of the cattle and beef products industry in Canada. As well, they suggested that efforts be focussed on improving the operation of the North American marketplace for cattle and beef products. "More slaughter and value-added products processing capacity is needed in Canada to improve the competitive structure of the industry and to reduce the number of Canadian cattle and livestock exposed to trade embargoes," the report states. "The committee recommends that the government pursue business opportunities with a particular emphasis on increasing livestock slaughter and value-added products processing capacity in Canada." See CANADIAN, Page 2 was a problem. After finding nothing wrong the doctor ordered a blood test that found Sydney's white blood cells at a higher than normal level. She was immediately sent to the London Health Sciences Centre for two weeks. Her parents thought something was wrong in the weeks leading up to the diagnosis because Sydney was not doing her homework. "That was probably the biggest indication because she is always doing her work. She's worried if she doesn't get something done. We knew something was definitely wrong," said Cheryl. The vast amount of chemotherapy 'drugs that Sydney and Mackenzie are on has weakened their immune systems and caused them to lose their hair. "Before when she had hair you always knew she wasn't feeling well. But, now you have a visual reminder that she's not well," said Paul, Sydney's father. "I kind of noticed it was falling out the second week I was in the hospital. I put my hand up to my head," said Mackenzie while miming a clump of hair coming out of his head. "That was just after I talked to a doctor about having my hair fall out," he said. Paul said people might not recognize Sydney in the summer. "When they see Syt tey in the summer somewhere and she is wearing a ball cap because she has no hair, (we hope) that they don't treat her any differently than they would have any time before," said Paul. Se* FAMLIES, Paige 2 Council decides on new skate park location By Susan Hundsrtniark Expositor Editor The parking lot Behind town hall where the old water tower used to be located is the new home of a skateboard park for Seaforth. Huron East council agreed to the location at its May 4 meeting after receiving two letters of complaint, one including 10 signatures, about council's preferred location at the hack parking lot of Bethel Bible Church. While Bethel Bible's council of deacons and elders hadn't yet responded to council about whether or not they would agree to the skateboard park on church property, council decided not to wait any longer to approve a location. The letter to council signed by 10 people said neighbouring residents arc "disturbed that council would even consider a site directly beside or right across the road from established residential units." The other, from Jim and Janet Papple, said they're concerned that the skateboard park would affect plans they have to redevelop nearby lots as residential units. "We are concerned about the establishment of a skateboard park at this location because of the lack of space to provide appropriate buffering from thc residential area," said the letter. Mayor Joe Scili pointed out how the issue of a skateboard park for Seaforth has been on the agenda for 18 months. "These people are volunteers who want to give the kids in town something to do and it's up to council to do something. We've got to make a decision and it's going to be tonight," he said. Deputy -Mayor Bernie MacLellan and Seaforth Coun. Joe Stefflcr also expressed concern about the time frame involved in choosing a location. "We don't want it to be fall before it gets up and running," said MacLellan. Seaforth Coun. Lou Maloney shared complaints he's heard on the streets about a downtown location for the skateboard park. "We're probably going to get a lot of letters on this Site too. People have told me, 'Why don't we move the arena up here see PARKING, Pea $