For Immediate Release:
May 4, 2011
Queens Park – Haldimand-Norfolk MPP Toby Barrett is wondering “why all the secrecy” following more hide and sneak politics from the McGuinty Government.
Barrett’s questions follow Finance Committee testimony focussing on attempts to bury measures that would reverse transparency and accountability provisions from legislation approved in December.
“The fact that Premier McGuinty waited for his budget bill to attempt to slip through a two line amendment shielding hospitals from transparency laws is disingenuous at best,” Barrett noted. “This has nothing to do with the Ontario budget and everything to do with attempting to subvert the very gains in transparency and accountability that were approved late last year.”
The amendment under Schedule 15 of the budget bill takes aim at hospital transparency measures as called for in December’s Broader Public Sector Accountability Act, by enabling hospitals to shield from public scrutiny any information about quality of care produced for or by a hospital committee.
Among those who travelled to Queens Park to testify before Finance Committee were a number of area residents objecting to schedule 15.
Dunville’s Ed Vander Vegte pointed out to Committee, “access to all medical records is necessary to determine if negligence has indeed occurred,” while Kim Hessels – also of Dunnville – testified schedule 15 , “appear(s) to discriminate against the vulnerable as they prioritize resources above patient safety.”
Barrett noted that he and his caucus colleagues intend to oppose the amendment during deliberation of the bill before the Finance Committee.
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For more information, please contact MPP Toby Barrett at: (416) 325-8404,
(519) 428-0446 or 1-800-903-8629