Why Doug Ford’s to blame for health-care mess
Posted: July 17, 2020
(July 15, 2020)
By: Bob Hepburn, The Record
There’s a well-worn saying in the business world that you can’t cut your way to greatness.
It applies equally well to Ontario’s health-care system, which is struggling to cope under the unprecedented strains imposed by the current COVID-19 pandemic.
As he launches a major campaign-style road show this week that will see him travel nearly 5,000 kilometres across the province this summer, Premier Doug Ford will be thanking beleaguered health-care workers for their dedication and hard work during the pandemic.
Along the way he will also detailing (bragging?) about how he believes he has acted quickly and decisively in meeting the needs of doctors, nurses, therapists, personal support workers and others in dealing with the COVID-19 crisis and in fixing the province’s struggling health-care system.
The reality, though, is something completely different.
In fact, since taking office more than two years ago, Ford has made a long series of policy and funding moves that have worsened — not improved — the already underfunded and overloaded system.
Indeed, Ford’s actions — all made with the clear goal of cutting costs — have produced few, if any positive results, with no money saved, no end to “hallway medicine” and no sign of better days ahead for patients.
And while the bandages Ford has hurriedly thrown at health care since the COVID-19 pandemic hit in February have helped a bit by momentarily easing the bleeding, they have failed to stop the pain inflicted by Ford since his election victory in June, 2018.
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