Health care a hot topic at Algoma-Manitoulin debate
CBC
Progressive Conservative candidate Cheryl Fort brought up health care quickly in her opening statement.
"Doug Ford and the PC party are investing historical amounts into the provincial health care system," the Hornepayne mayor told the three dozen voters gathered for a debate at the Espanola Legion Monday night.
"The PC government inherited a health care system that was in shambles."
But she and the Ford government were the target of several questions from the audience, including a mother wondering why she has to go to Toronto to get specialized care for her daughter and a man wondering why the province has frozen the pay of some health care workers.
"It's really difficult to call someone a hero for two years and then restrict their ability to earn a fair wage," said Liberal candidate Tim Vine.
The hospital administrator says COVID-19 has really highlighted the cracks in the health system, including a shortage of doctors and other health care professionals in the north.
"We had them before and they've become unignorable over the last two years," Vine told the crowd.
He also criticized the PC government for cuts to long-term care inspections that cost lives during the pandemic, while Fort said that long-term care has been "neglected by governments of all stripes" but is now being fixed by the Ford government.
"I don't want to play that ping pong game," said incumbent New Democrat Michael Mantha, pointing to his two opponents.
"We need the right government that is willing to sit and speak and have a conversation."
Vine called the northern travel grant program, which reimburses people who have to travel for medical treatment, a "nightmare" and promised to "streamline" the process.
Mantha says the NDP would cut the paperwork that patients have to fill out for the travel grant, aim to get them their money back within 14 days and increase the amount on the cheque.
"The travel grant hasn't been adjusted in many, many, many years," he said.
"The price of gas has been adjusted however."
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