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Home My WebLink AboutHuron Expositor, 2006-10-11, Page 4Page 4 October 11, 2006 • The Huron Expositor Opinion Proprietor and Publisher, Bowes Publishers Limited, 11 Main St., Seaforth, ON, NOK IWO Don't add to the strain on of emergency r am ` it would get worse before it got better. And, the current difficulties staffing emergency departments boturban at .small rural hospi a s `throughout Ontario is cer- tainly a sign that the dwindlling number of doctors and nurses is definitely feeling the strain. Hanover and District Hospital, during the Thanksgiving weekend, was the latest of a growing number of hospitals threatening a weekend closure at ' g and a lack of available Hanover's troubles follow similar problems in two Kitchener -Waterloo area hospitals and closer to home at St. Marys Memorial Hospital during the past several months. Seaforth Community Hospital is not immune to the strain and has been trying to find ways to ease the burden on doctors by sharing second on-call time with other Huron -Perth Healthcare Alliance hospitals, like Clinton Public. Last week, Health Minister George Smitherman asked a committee of government officials, hospital administrators and the Ontario Medical Association to report in two weeks on ways that emergency rooms can operate more efficiently and on how to better compensate doctors. While patients can do little to solve the continu- ing doctor shortage and physician pay issues being named as causes for the threatened closure of emergency rooms, we can take a look at our behav- iour and expectations of the healthcare system and assess whether or not they're realistic. Doctors, many of whom are working extra shifts to keep emergency rooms open on the weekends, certainly don't need to be dealing with patients who don't really need urgent care. While orphan patients often have little other choice than attending the ER with a health con- cern, the opportunity now exists to be rostered by the Seaforth family health team. As the healthcare crisis continues, patients must take more responsiblity for their health. Susan Hundertmark 1 have low expectations of my beloved Leafs this season Amongst the many blogs that flooded the Toronto Maple Leafs' website after their opening night loss to Ottawa last week, was one with the headline: `It's only one game." I doubt similar head- lines were found on the websites of the opening night losers and defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes, or Western Conference powerhouses the Colorado Avalanche. However, we fans of the blue and white apparently need to be reassured that one game doesn't represent how the rest of the season is going to play out. Maybe it's because we got greedy, expecting nothing less than a late• playoff run each sea- son. But that was in the old NHL, when teams' could stock up on veteran playmakers for the post season - if they didn't already have an expensive lineup prior to the playoffs. But in today's NHL, with the implementa- tion of a salary cap prior to last season, teams are learning to be frugal and spend their money wisely. So, while it is still very early into the NHL season to be making any predictions, it feels like just the right time to express my con- cerns with my beloved Maple Leafs. Not once I can remember having entered a new season with such low expectations and little hope as I have this year. 13N' PJeff r• And here's why. Even with the addition of reliable veteran defence - men Hal Gill and Pavel Kubina, the Leafs' blueline remains a blatant weak point that opposing teams should be able to take advantage of again. Last season, the Leafs' offence ranked eighth in the league in goals for, which is terrific, but at the same time ranked 21st in goals allowed. Bryan McCabe epitomized the Leafs' woes last season, ranking third among defencemen in scoring, while continuously criticized for his lack of reliable defensive play. At best, the Leafs now sport one reliable and one average defensive line - not good enough. Back to the offence, which was one of few bright spots last season. - The absence of Jason Allison, who was slow as molasses but was also their fifth highest point scorer last season and their 12th best scorer Eric Lindros, has me scratching my head. In fact, there's five others that were among the Leafs' top 20 scorers last season that. are now absent. Between the pipes is another big problem. With the eagle having flown his nest in Toronto, the Leafs brought in:' ex -Bruin Andrew Raycroft. Apparently the Leafs see something in him that Boston didn't when they benched him See BRIGHT, Page 6 Au contraire big brother. By keeping expectations low I can skew the results in my favour. Mom will just be relieved that I passed. 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