Ontario Hansard - 17-February2005

HOSPITAL FUNDING

Ms. Laurie Scott (Haliburton-Victoria-Brock): My question is for the Premier. As you know, the McGuinty government has no plan for health care. John Tory was in Peterborough standing up for the hospital this week because it had no choice but to cut 75 staff, half of whom are nurses. It was Elizabeth Witmer who first approved the plan in 2000, and it's your government now that is stalling. Your Minister of Health stood here in December 2003 and said the new hospital would be built by 2007. On December 9, 2004, a full year later, he said the same thing, and still nothing has happened.

You have $400 million for a new five-star Pupatello palace in Windsor and money to waste on partisan brochures that break your advertising law. Premier, instead of hustling taxpayers in a game of Texas Hold'em, maybe you should fold your hand and solve the real issue facing patients in Peterborough. Will you commit today to the residents of Peterborough that you will respond to the tender for the construction of a new hospital in Peterborough within 30 days of March 1, and not a day longer?