(November 4, 2015)<\/p>\n
By: Ernst Kuglin, The Intelligencer\/Trentonian<\/p>\n
ERNST KUGLIN\/THE INTELLIGENCER Officials with Our TMH and Ontario Health Coalition are putting the final touches on the Nov. 13 Centennial Park rally to protest health care cuts and service restructuring. The rally starts at noon and goes to 2 p.m. organizers are expecting between 1,000 and 2,000 people.<\/em><\/p>\n QUINTE WEST\u00a0–\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0Next week\u2019s rally in Trenton is being described as a critical turning point for Our TMH and its effort to yank the beleaguered hospital from Quinte Health Care.
\nAnger over hospital cutbacks continues to build in the community in the lead-up to the Nov. 13 rally organized by the Ontario Health Coalition.
\nAdvocacy group members are venting that anger at QHC and now the provincial government\u2019s controversial funding formula and resulting restructuring of hospitals across the province.
\nOrganizers expect a crowd of between 1,000 and 2,000 at Trenton\u2019s Centennial Park next Friday.
\nOfficials with Our TMH are all but accusing QHC executives of misleading the public with claims Trenton Memorial won\u2019t close.
\n\u201cAs much as they are denying it, they are working to get rid of the hospital. QHC has broken the hospital. They won\u2019t fix their mistakes. It\u2019s time to take the hospital back,\u201d said an angry Our TMH co-chairman, Mike Cowan.
\nEarlier this week, Quinte West city council fired off a resolution to the provincial government and neighbouring municipalities saying it supports the Our TMH move to create a community-owned and operated hospital, separate from the QHC.
\nThe city\u2019s chamber of commerce also penned what\u2019s been described as a \u201cscathing\u201d letter to QHC board chairwoman Trish Anderson.
\nOur TMH intends to keep hammering away at QHC, while securing more public support.
\n\u201cThere\u2019s been no attempt by QHC in the last 10 to 15 years to make TMH a sustainable community hospital, to make the hospital better. The QHC has been a bad manager of health care service delivery in our city. If anyone should fall on the sword, it\u2019s the QHC,\u201d said Cowan.
\nDirector Garry Quinn said Our TMH has been successful in getting the public\u2019s attention and the attention of federal and provincial politicians.
\n\u201cWe\u2019ve also got the attention of QHC, good or bad, but it\u2019s time for us to keep up the pressure and put our feet to the fire,\u201d said Quinn.
\nOn the heels of Wednesday\u2019s federal cabinet swearing-in ceremony at Rideau Hall, Coun. Dunc Armstrong said it\u2019s time Our TMH took the \u201cfight to the top\u201d echelons at the new federal government.
\nOur TMH met with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during the federal election campaign where members pitched the idea of opening a veteran\u2019s care wing at TMH.
\n\u201cWith the new government now in place, it\u2019s imperative we contact Defence Minister Harjit Singh Sajjan to emphasize the importance of\u00a0 providing full blown health care services for our Armed Forces personnel and their dependents in Quinte West,\u201d said Armstrong.
\nArmstrong said local health services are \u201cessential\u201d given the fact CFB Trenton continues to expand, and will be home to Joint Task Force 2.
\nKent Hehr was named Veteran\u2019s Affairs Minister.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s time to start booking appointments with the new ministers,\u201d said Jim Leonard.
\nernst.kuglin@sunmedia.ca<\/p>\n