HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1998-01-21, Page 4Page 4 Tinges -Advocate, January 21, 1998
Publisher & Editor: Jim Beckett
Business Manager: con Smith
Production Manager: Deb lord
Adverti yirig; Barb'Consitt, Chad Eedy. .
News; Heather Mir, Kate Monk, Craig Bradford,
. Chantal!Van Raay, Ross Haugh
Production; Alma Ballantyne, Mary McMurray, Barb Robertson
Brenda Hern, Joyce Weber, Laurel Miner
TranSQWtation: Al Hodgert
CCM"
•
Front Office & Accounting; Sue Rollings, Carol Windsor
Ruthanne'Negrijn. Anita, McDonald, Cassie Dalrymple,
Ruth Slaght. •Sheila Corbett
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EDITORIAL
It is much too soon to scuttle the ship
calth care has Once again sur-
faced as an istiue,of vital importance.
The use of the word "vital is nota cri-
incidence. This is literally a rttatter of
life or death. It is also -a matter of quail-
ty of life, of the opportunity to enjoy
and contribute to one's community to
the hest of one's ability, however limit -
cd that might he.. . -
This means providing supports to
keep the elderly. and disabled in their
own homes, providing medical treat-.
merit in the community, -and not merely
"warehousing" those requiring long
term care. It is a concept which looks
good on paper - and great in press re-
leases. . -
This government -is continuing the -
policy of previous governments in clos-
ing -psychiatric hospitals. The theory is
. mentally ill peoplcare Netter treated -
close to home and family, in communi-
ty hospitals (yes, the ones -which are
closing keds and laying off staff). •
When one thinks of mental hospitals.
. one- pictures a 1 9th century institution
with bars on windows and dark wards
filled with screaming "Bedlamites"..
Horrible places by today's standards',
one mast remember they were -a rela-
tively modern innovation in their day,
marking a vast%improvement in how
mentally ill people were treated.
Modern psychiatry and effective
drugs have long -since removed the Kars
from the windows and opened the -
locked wards. Can we close them .-
com-
pletely? Some believe we can, and,'
should. But with community hospitals ,
• in a poor.position to take up the slack,
and local support services staff already
stretched to the limits, there is a real
fear this would'be a step backward.. -
Rather than receiving compassionate •
and effective care close to home, too - -
many psychiatric patients would end up -
in unlicensed and unsupervised group
homes, jail, or frozen to death under a
highway overpass. This is not a matter
of seeing shadows where none exist; it
is already. happening. •
A similar situation is occurring in
many other areas otihealth care. Dis-
abled people who depend on Bruce Grey
and Huron Disability Transportation
were hit .with the real_possibility the ser-
vice would fold Jan. 1 of this year for
lack of financial support from the prov-
ince. Notice was received in December
that two-year funding had come through,
hut it left many people wondering what
conies next. During the scramble to to-.
Cate alternative dollars, it quickly he -
came apparent that no one municipali-
ties, hospitals, service organizations -
was in a position.to take over this impor-
tant service.
Funding for hospital respite care has -
hcen cut. along with many.programs.
which allowed people with serious phys-
ical disabilities to remain in their homes.
Instead -of being able to have a loved one
admitted to hospital at public expense
for a day, when the home caregiver is _ill
or has to travel out of town, the family
must now cover the cost somehow - plus
pay for wheelchairs, orthopedic shoes,
crutches and other assistive devices.
Some families, hit with increased costs
and decreased help, are for the first time
considering long term care facilities.
Waiting lists have stretched from
weeks to months to more than a year for
surgery and therapy that would enable
people to live fuller, healthier lives. Peo-
ple with treatable conditions die await- .1
ing surgery. ..
For the young woman who sits in a
wheelchair because there is no room in a
rehabilitation program that would have
her -walking; for.the family of the men-
- tally -ill man who becomes violent and
abusive whenever he is sent home from
hospital and won't take.his-medication:
and for the -woman whose adult disabled
child has access to substantially fewer
services than 4i couple of -years ago - this
is a plea to officials making decisions
about health care. Please make sure -
there arcenough life boats before you
scuttle the ship.
SuuKern !:: Nems
Speak Out
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A View from Queen's Park
TORONTO -- A natural disaster can some-
times blow someone .sottte good, and one win-
ner from Ontario's Most destructive storm this
winter has been Progressive Conservative Pre-
mier Mike Harris.
Before the ice storm that shut off power to
much of the eastern part of the province,. Har-
ris's biggest need. as he conceded recently, was
to 'look kinder and gentler after two years of
cutting costs and services.-
In,
ervices.In; the storm and its. aftermath, the( tt mier
has been seen on TV and in newspapers fting
generators on trucks bound for hard-hit are-
as.'-- A determined -looking Harris has been
watched hoarding helicopters and declaring •"i
want to sec for myself." --
Harris has been pictured serving breakfast to
temporarily, homeless people in a shelter, a big
changes -of image for the premier whose best -
remembered comment on the homeless was
that many choose to live on the streets.
He warmed up to farmers in stables, asking
about their problems looking after livestock
By Eric Dowd
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That's my opinion
By Chantall Van Raay
•
Slowly, I lose my faith in the Leafs
When Tie Domi takes a shot at
his offender. which he is known to
do. and Felix the Cat tltvt;s to save
another incredible_ shot. rut'
_ ahashed when" i look at the stand-
ings • and. find the • Toronto Maple.
Leafs just -aren't what they .used to.
he.
Granted, it has keen a long time
since the Maple Leafs have -won the •
Stanley Cup.. but at least when 1
was •growing up it was enjoyable to
Watch a game hecause you. knew:
they still had a chance of winning.
or at least not embarrassing them ,
•selves.
Now. they go off on these five -
gable losing streak washroom
breaks and shrug'thcir shoulders as -
if to say. "We played well, defcn--
lively. They got a. -couple of good
hreak=aways: We .need to -work on •
our offence. defence. whatever."
1f you listen carefully to the com-
ments of a hockey • player after , a
.game you. will. notice they are all'
the same. • Hockey players arc told
what to' say. That is why you will,
, always here • the same remarks.
Somdtimes 1 think they accidentally'
say'the wrong remark because it
makes: very little sense to what ac-
tually went on - during the game.
National hockey, players are not al-
ways the smartest athletes. Football.
and soccer players. yes. because
most of them went to university.
Hockey players get .to the top by
moving up from their home town
" junior league to the NHL draft
Where- they don't play for a couple
of years until they are thrown in
cause of an injury or soniething and
then they're praised for their talent.
They were sitting on the bench
.'the whole time and out on the ice
we have retirees like Wendel
Clarke:
Another disappointment is Felix
Potvin. Onc of my long-time favor-
ites is heginthing to lose his claws.
Granted. he sweats so much during
the gable he has to drill Miles in the
bottom of his skates to let the sweat
out, -
Maybe he's lust going through. a
spell, maybe he'll he hack. maybe
he'll remain a constant embarrass-
ment to the die hard Leaf fans who
"keep telling themselves it's just a
spell. 1 don't know. • . •
' But as much as I slam the Leafs 1
still have faith in them. They do the
oddest thing like lose five games to
the worst teams and then win a
game against the top team and you
begin to wonder. "How do they do •
that:'" •
.The team has been .analyzed to
mulch already so). won't even be
gin to attempt figuring them out.
i justenjoy watching the game.
I'm not 'very good at analyzing it so
don't call me up tomorrow wanting
to discuss the technicalities of last
night's game. i'Il probably say
things like "the Leaf's *^&! me
off." or '-why the (kg -ft! am 1 still a
heat's fan:'" •- . -
Onc day.. many moons from now.
the Leafs will drink from the Star;
Icy Cup. That will he the day 1'l1
sigh a sign of relief and say. "the ul-
cer was worth it."
f•
without power, and in his jacket with the Special
Olympics logo encouraged cold and tired emer-
gency worker clearing fallen • branches and re-
storing power.
The premier was reported requesting help
from the Canadian Forces, urging drivers to stay
off icy roads and out of storm areas, thanking
community groups for rallying around and .as-
curing vaguely his government would "do every-
thing we can" to -help: . •
The Toronto Star, not normally a friend, ran
front-page banner headlines declaring. that Har-
ris cares, including "Harris pleads for aid as vi-
ral zones freeze" and "Harris fears for storm vic-
tims."
• At least eight of Harris's ministers were
viewed lending a hand. Deputy Premier and Fi-
nance Minister Ernie Eves was at the front in-
specting damage with the explanation he has to
find funds for repairs.
Energy Minister Jim Wilson investigated dam-
age to the electricity distribution system and at-
tempts to repair. Agriculture Minister Noble
Harris depicted as someone who cares
Villeneuve checked dairy farms. Natural Re-
sources Minister John Snobelen• took a "ferry to •
see his ministry's work crews help residents on-
Wolfe
nWolfe Island.
Solicitor General Bob Runciman and .Envi-
ronment Minister Norm Sterling; both from the,
storm -hit area. toured it soothing residents.
Transportation Minister Tony Clement was
spotted among the high-priced help loading
generators and Consumer Minister David Tsu-
bouchi stacking firelogs on a truck at a liquor
store collecting donations for relief..
The Tories had almost as many of their lead-
ing lights on the road as in an election and -en-
sured all their activities were well publicized by
inviting news media.
Harris and his ministers have- legitimate roles
to play in a disaster like this. Anyone can lift a
generator on to a truck, as Harris did several
times to make sure the cameras got it right, but
TV is more interested in a premier doing this
and gave it more space and it helped a good
• cause.
A;premier who goes to a disaster scene heart-
- some in difficulty and encourages them to
. feel government is listening. .
Harris would be criticized if he failed to
• spend time on front lines focussing attention
on needs and letting know his government will
help.
The Tory premier looked in charge and ensur-
ing practical things were done, which is a way
he has looked before.
But he also looked for a change compassion-
ate and caring, which is the image he needs
• most at this time. - -
Harris upset Liberal leader Dalton McGuinty,
who accused him of not helping enough and or-
ganized a rival tour, but must have smarted
most because hard-nosed Harris was being de-
picted as a premier who cares.
Harris is still being criticized because he left
on an overseas trade mission before all power
was restored, but if he had wandered with ATV
cameras down many more icy streets he could
have been seen as cashing in on a tragedy.