Dalton McGuinty and his government are telling Ontarians how hard they are working on reforming our health care system. But how well are they really doing? Ontario PC Leader John Tory has issued an interim report on the results the McGuinty government has achieved in health care so far.

The McGuinty government promised to report directly to the people on the state of health care. Our list of their “accomplishments” shows how they have mismanaged health care issues. I don’t think that they should be proud of what they have done so far. The McGuinty health care “accomplishments” are an example of their incompetent management of the issue that is most important to Ontarians:

• 757 full-time nurses to receive pink slips;
• 8,700 more hospital caregivers to be cut over the next year;
• Successfully implemented the largest and most regressive tax increase in Ontario's history;
• Collecting over $3 billion more from health tax and federal transfers with no accounting where that money has gone;
• Using millions of dollars to buy back well-functioning, private MRI clinics. No new MRI or CT scanners announced;
• Doctor shortage worsening, no plan to fix it;
• Wait times are increasing;
• No agreement with Ontario Medical Association;
• Created atmosphere of intimidation and fear within health care sector;
• Health Minister widely known as bully and nicknamed "Furious George" for his treatment of hospital caregivers;
• Immediate future up in the air for 23 of the province's hospitals and longer term funding unknown for the rest of Ontario hospitals.

The government is phasing out the local District Health Councils in favour of a new Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs). The LHIN will be the principal organization responsible for planning, coordinating, integrating and funding the delivery of health care services.

The boundaries of our LHIN will not exactly match the old DHC boundaries. Perhaps the biggest change is the addition of the eastern part of Toronto, Markham and part of Whitchurch Stouffville to our planning area. The Central East LHIN will be the largest in the province. I worry that this will make it more difficult for our area’s health care needs to receive the attention that they so obviously require.

"People across Ontario have lost faith in the ability of the McGuinty government to manage our health care system”, said John Tory when he released the interim report. “There is no plan and this government has stopped listening to caregivers in the health care sector,"

We all know that there are challenges to be faced as we redefine our health care system. Whatever changes might come, your Ontario Health Card must be your passport to care…and no matter who delivers a service… that the service needs to be performed by qualified professionals and paid for by OHIP. We will not let the government lose sight of that.

I would like to thank the people who have worked so hard over the years as members of the Durham Haliburton Kawartha and Pine Ridge District Health Council. Thank you, as well, to all of the people who work in the health care field during these difficult times.