Groves Memorial Community Hospital

Groves announcement
Remarks by Ted Arnott, MPP
August 25, 2011
GROVES MEMORIAL COMMUNITY HOSPITAL
August 25, 2011
Remarks by Ted Arnott, MPP
Check against delivery

—-
Joseph P. Kennedy, the patriarch of the famous Kennedy family, father of a U.S.
President and two United States Senators, encouraged his children to aim high to
accomplish great things.
In seeking to inspire them, he often told them this:
Great things don’t just happen. Great things are made to happen.
Today, we celebrate something we all worked together to make happen.
In my almost 21 years in the Ontario Legislature, other than my wedding day and the
births of our boys–
All of whom were born in the Groves Memorial Community Hospital, I might add–
This day is the best day of all.
I begin as I must, by saying thank you to the Government of Ontario, and Premier
Dalton McGuinty, Health Minister Deb Matthews, and Environment Minister John
Wilkinson in particular. I also wish to thank Shawn Kerr, who works in the office of the
Minister of Health.
As well, I want to thank my colleagues in the Legislature Elizabeth Witmer, Christine
Elliott, and Liz Sandals, all of whom offered me advice, encouragement, or support as I
worked on this file since 2002.
As I’ve said many times, you can get more done in the Legislature if you’re prepared to
share the credit when something good happens.
I also need to acknowledge the outstanding work of my staff: Stephen Yantzi, Mary
Heffernan, Judy Brownrigg, Marnie Mainland, and Nancy Stickle. I’ve been told I have
the best constituency staff in Canada, and I agree.
And I always say that whatever we accomplish, we accomplish together as a team.
Today our team is proud of what we did.
A few years ago, I heard that some people in town were going around saying: “We’ll
never get our hospital project approved…because Arnott’s in the wrong party.”

Groves announcement
Remarks by Ted Arnott, MPP
August 25, 2011
I was surprised by that. l always thought I was in the “right” party, or at least the “centre-
right” party.
But nonetheless, I heard that some people were saying this. I decided to look at it as a
challenge.
Successive Ministers of Health would confirm this: Smitherman, Caplan, Matthews all
took the time to listen to me. At turns, I would ask, plead, kick, cajole, shout, flatter,
grovel, yell, beg…whatever approach seemed to be most appropriate at the time.
I often thought of Winston Churchill’s famous quote:
“Never, never, never….never give up.”
My objective was always to build a compelling, political case for our new hospital,
drawing on my experience and persistence.
We advocated publicly, but also respectfully.
And knowing the hospital announcements would come fast and furious before the
election, we needed to put the Minister in a position where she could not say “no” to our
community.
We needed to instead give her a reason to say “yes.”
And I say all that not to “take credit” as politicians sometimes do.
The truth is whatever is said in the Legislature doesn’t amount to a hill of beans if the
project isn’t worthy, if the case isn’t a strong one, or if the community isn’t behind it.
Our project is worthy, our case is strong, and our community is behind it. Our local
Councils are behind it. Council staff is behind it. The County of Wellington is behind it.
We are blessed in this community in so many ways, but Groves Memorial Community
Hospital, as an institution, is at the top of the list.
Whenever I do a survey of constituents, asking for feedback and comments, and I ask
about health care, I always hear the same thing.
People in Centre Wellington tell me health care is excellent here, and the reason is
Groves.
But it’s not just a building on Union Street, which we know is starting to look its age.
It starts with the staff–from the brilliant doctors, to the caring nurses, and the dedicated
support staff–all working together in an incredible team environment that emphasizes
innovation, excellence and integrity.

Groves announcement
Remarks by Ted Arnott, MPP
August 25, 2011
Then there are the volunteers: the tireless Volunteer Association, the members of the
Board and the Foundation, all doing their part and more to support the work of the
hospital, all in the spirit of the example set by Dr. Abraham Groves.
All of these groups are, in their own way, living out the conclusion of Jack Layton’s final
letter to Canadians:
“My friends,” he said, “love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is
better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the
world.”
The commitment today of the Provincial Government is something we in this community
have earned, something we deserve, and something to be proud of.
But we must be vigilant, and the work isn’t done. Indeed, it’s just beginning.
We’ll need to continue to raise awareness and raise money. We’ll need to stay on top of
the Government to make sure it follows through on its commitment. And we’ll need to
raise the bar on care even higher, building on our culture of continuous improvement,
even as we build the new Groves hospital in these very fields.
We’ll need to build a hospital for our generation, but more importantly for the one that
follows us, our children and grandchildren. The promise of the future.
And let it be said by them:
Those who worked to build the new Groves, in the early years of the 21st Century, gave
us the greatest gift of all.
Thank you very much.