Politics must not decide hospital project approvals: MPP Arnott

NEWS RELEASE
Ted Arnott, MPP
Wellington – Halton Hills

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 24, 2011

Politics must not decide hospital project approvals: MPP Arnott
(Queen’s Park) – Politics must not stand in the way of modern health care facilities. That was
Wellington-Halton Hills MPP Ted Arnott’s message today in the Ontario Legislature, where he
delivered a statement thanking PC Health Critic Christine Elliott for her visit to the Georgetown and
Groves hospitals.

The text of Mr. Arnott’s statement is as follows:

“Few things better unite us in Wellington-Halton Hills than our common appreciation for our local
hospitals. This is why I have spent so much time in recent months advocating for our hospital
projects in Georgetown and Centre Wellington.

“One month ago tonight, I attended a public meeting in the Town of Halton Hills, where the
Georgetown Hospital’s CT scanner and Emergency Department renovation project was discussed.

“While there is strong community support for the project, Halton Hills residents want to know why the
Province has yet to indicate a willingness to make a meaningful contribution.

“And the Groves Memorial Community Hospital in Centre Wellington continues to await the
Ministry’s permission to move forward to the next stage of planning for a new hospital, and the
provincial planning grant that goes with it.

“I want to thank my colleague, the Member for Whitby-Oshawa, who serves as our Party’s Critic to
the Minister of Health, for visiting our Riding on February 14th.

“Her interest in our area’s health issues is appreciated, and stands in stark contrast to the Minister’s
apparent disinterest, at least to date. More than four months ago, I invited the Minister to come to
Wellington-Halton Hills hoping she’d tour our hospitals in Georgetown and Centre Wellington. She
hasn’t yet done so, but I reiterate the invitation today.

“And I also invite the Members for Guelph and Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock to come to
Wellington-Halton Hills, as part of their rural health consultations. I extend these invitations in a spirit
of non-partisan cooperation, because politics and the traditional voting patterns of communities must
never be allowed to impede the progress of hospital projects in those same communities.

“Let’s show that the promise of the future includes better health care in modern facilities, for all our
residents, and that politics will not stand in the way.”

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Ted Arnott, MPP
Phone: 416-325-3880
Email: ted.arnott@pc.ola.org