What’s on Your Mind
Happy New Year everyone ~ I wish you all good health and happiness.
Not surprisingly, Health was once again your #1 priority. It has been the primary issue from constituents. It is not surprising, with your concerns about longer wait times, allegations of physician intimidation, and examples of gross government incompetence like we saw with the closure of the Tom Baker Cancer Lab, against the advice of world class Alberta doctors. And, while Premier Redford promised a full judicial inquiry, she did not deliver, which allows many Albertans’ concerns with the health care system to continue. I hope you all know we did lobby the government as best we could to fight for improving our health care system. While we still wait for an inquiry into health care, there is an opportunity for renewal with the next election just around the corner to put an end to physician intimidation and to longer wait times. It is a Wildrose promise; one we hope to deliver on this year.
We are still hearing about your frustration trying to find a family doctor. Those of you waiting for surgery also shared your frustration as you wait months to see a specialist and then months to have your surgery. A good gauge of whether things are working or not is by the calls, emails, etc. we receive. Obviously the emergency wait times government is trying to achieve is not one that is working. As you share your thoughts your criticism is not with the ER Doctors, nurses or other staff but with a dysfunctional system.
Seniors was your #2 priority. We continue to hear about your loved one who needs either home care or long term care. Government continues to brag about their ‘assisted living model’ and one must ask “what exactly does that mean?” I think it’s important to understand the difference between long term care and assisted living. In either model should seniors be required to pay for more than one shower or bath each week? Should they need to pay for someone to push their wheelchair to the dining room? Should they have to pay for someone to give them their medication? The questions go on and on; answers from government are evasive.
Lastly, we are again hearing your concerns about education. The $107M the government put back into education to hire more teachers begs the question from you; Was that truly what the money was used for? Also, questions relating to funding dollars for children with special needs: Do they really reach the classroom, and where are the dollars to have your child tested to determine their exact special needs.
2012 will bring a provincial election sometime between now and May 31st. It was disappointing when Premier Redford was running for Premier she said, and I quote: “I support fixed election dates, if I’m elected as your Premier the election will be March 12, 2012 and every 4 years after that.” While I’m not exactly sure when the PC government will call the election, I encourage you to get out and vote. Voter apathy was at an all time low in the 2008 election and I would love to see Calgary Fish Creek show that they care.