Huron Expositor, 2009-04-22, Page 4Pio "epriI (2,`2009 • The Wain`' 'pito
Opinion
Proprietor and Publisher, Bowes Publishers Limited, 11 Main St., Seaforth, ON, NOK 1W0
Prognosis for health
care is positive
A hall packed with Seaforth residents eager to ask
questions about the local healthcare system last
Tuesday had a vastly different mood than a similar
setting five years ago.
In 2004, close to 400 people filled the Seaforth
Agriplex, concerned about a $7 million deficit that
was creating the need to cut beds throughout the
four -hospital Alliance. Fear was rampant that Sea-
forth's was the most vulnerable hospital of the four
and demands were made for a plan that would en-
sure its future viability.
But, while fear was the motivator of the meeting
five years ago, last week's meeting was held more to
clear up any confusion about an expanding health-
care community.
So much has changed during the past five years
that local residents were given a colour-coded road'"
map of all the players on the healthcare scene:
Largely because of the initiative of the local c
munity, new organizations like Healthkick Huron
created to encourage rural students to consider ca-
reers in healthcare - and Gateway Rural Health Re-
search Centre created to study the uniquely rural
health concerns of the region - have strengthened
Seaforth'shealthcare community.
The Huron Community Family Health Team in.
the new Huron East Health Centre has also provid-
ed more opp ... r pities for local patients
And, while other rural hospitals are still battling
deficits, the Alliance weathered the deficit storm five
years ago and is now enjoying a balanced budget.
In 'fact, as 10 communities across Ontario from
Kingston to Wallaceburg staged rallies protest-
ing major hospital cuts or closures at the offices of
the closest Liberal MPPs over the weekend, Huron
Perth hospitals were notably absent from the pro-
test.
But, despite the increasing presence of healthcare
in Seaforth, some local fears seem to persist about
Seaforth hospital's viability.
Certainly, the overnight closure of Seaforth's ER
brought on by a nationwide shortage of ER nurses
- has raised concerns.
And, the community will be watching with inter-
est how Seaforth's hospital fares as the Alliance 'con-
tinues the job of reducing the duplication of services
and prescribing a distinct role for each of its four
hospitals.
But, as Alliance CEO Andrew Williams pointed
out at the meeting, Seaforth has plenty of reasons
to be positive with so many organizations trying to
provide the best local healthcare possible.
Susan Hundertmark
•
Most Canadianscan trace their roots
back to another country
It's amazing what a small act
of support can do.
The 430 people who took a
few seconds to sign the peti-
tion to help Mac's Milk contract
dealer Tariq Muhammad gain
permanent residence in Cana-
da might've only performed a
small act, but it may help keep
a member of our business community here to
stay. e
For those of us born and raised' in Canada,
it is impossible tom understand the plight of an
immigrant.``
When my own grandparents came to this
country from Europe after the, Second- World
War, they knew Little English and sometimes
faced prejudiced attitudes from Canadians
who' lived here for generations and were un -
.welcoming to foreigners.
Although they had little money when they
arrived here, they worked hard and embraced
the culture of their ' new country.
Whether our fa ' ' es arrived in Canada four
generations ago or only last year, the majority
of us can trace our roots back to another coun
try.
We all come together in this country to form
a shared identity - a mosaic of cultures and
traditions. Perhaps that's why thereis perpet-
ual ambiguity about Canada's national iden-
tity — we're a little bit of everything, making
us a unique place in .the world.
Last week, a part of that changed.
The federal government passed legislation to
change citizenship laws so that
anyone born outside the coun-
try who obtains their citizen
ship through their Canadian
parents will not be able to con-
fer that citizenship onto their
own children.
Limiting citizenship to
the first generation of Canadi-
ans born outside Canada is meant to create an
appreciation for the value of Canadian citizen-
ship, .the;Ministry of Immigration has said.
The new law will no doubt eliminate many
so-called -citizens of convenience, who main-
tain Canadian citizenship without any. real
ties or commitment to this country.
But some critics are worrying the new law
will discourage Canadian citizens from set-
tling abroad and working in international
development, while creating a barrier for the
hundreds of thousands of Canadians currently
living in a foreign country, including women in
international careers hoping to have children.
Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason
Kenney has recently suggested immigrants
should also be able to speak an official lan-
guage before being granted citizenship.
Kenney received some media attention last
month when -he barred British MP George.
Galloway from entering Canada to give a se-
ries of anti -war speeches.
With the new law, Kenny's ,nationalistic ap-
proach seems out of step in an age of increased
global travel, when citizens temporarily work
and live abroad while keeping ties to Canada.
bavid Lac
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