Forum gives front row seat to health

Published: May 05, 2009 7:00 PM Jennifer Smith - Vernon Morning Star

With paramedics and teachers demonstrating outside the forum, the spotlight was on health care and education for Vernon-Monashee candidates Monday. The event, hosted by the Performing Arts Centre Society, drew 225 voters out to hear from the six candidates as they prepare to make their mark May 12. Liberal candidate Eric Foster was a main target of questions and criticism (particularly from his fellow candidates attacking Liberal leader Gordon Campbell). Foster didn’t hesitate to lay out the facts about what his government has done and is doing for health care. “We are spending record amounts of money on health care,” said Foster, citing the $180 million going to the Vernon Jubilee Hospital new patient care tower and the fact that 90 cents of every new $1 will be spent on health care over the next three years.

Conservative candidate Dean Skoreyko was quick to point out that the investment at VJH has been a long time coming. “We have a hospital that I’m not sure if it leads B.C. with code purples, if it doesn’t, it’s pretty darn close,” said Skoreyko, also unhappy with how surgeries are being dictated out of Kelowna and only given allotted times.

Considering the Vernon School District’s $2.7 million budget cut, education was also a key topic. Green candidate Huguette Allen says the funding system needs to change, and she says it should start with not being based on a per-child basis. She also suggested a 20 per cent reduction in tuition fees in post secondary. “Education and health care are not expenses but investments,” said Allen, adding that being pro-active is the way to improvements, not just in health care, but across the board. Independent Gordon Campbell said the situation children and parents are facing in the schools is because people aren’t allowed to say ‘no’ - something he is advocating for on the ballot. “You don’t have the right to disagree. It’s the reason we can’t say ‘no’ to shortfalls in school budgets.”

NDP candidate Mark Olsen is also unhappy with the services being cut to local kids and is looking for a change in the education funding formula. Olsen laid out his party’s plan for students as well as improvements to health care and other sectors. “We’ll cut hospital wait times and improve senior’s care...protect the environment with an effective plan, make life more affordable for everyday citizens...we have to protect our students in the public sector K to 12 as well as post secondary...”

B.C. Refederation Party candidate R.J. Busch, who has a military background, says the voters need and deserve a direct democracy. “We need to go to the people who are being affected by these situations,” said Busch. “We’re giving them a paycheque, they’re doing a job but they’re not listening to us.“I’m gonna fight like a hound dog in Victoria until we’re heard.”

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Vernon Morning Star Editorial: Crucial details are missing

Health care has been a critical issue for many people during the provincial election campaign and that makes sense as it’s something we all eventually require. But during all of the discussions, some important information hasn’t risen to the top and that’s who is actually footing the bill. At Monday’s all-candidates forum in Vernon, Liberal Eric Foster made much of the $180 million being spent on a new patient care tower at Vernon Jubilee Hospital. No one questions the government’s decision to proceed with the project as the tower will greatly enhance the level of care we all receive. However, no one should be left with the impression that the Liberal government is covering the entire cost.

Of that $180 million, 40 per cent is coming from local property owners through the North Okanagan-Columbia-Shuswap Regional Hospital District. On top of this, the new tower will require medical equipment and while some of that cost is coming from the government, the hospital district, the VJH Foundation and the VJH Auxiliary are also participating. Ultimately, there is nothing wrong with Foster or anyone else with the Liberals linking themselves to the tower or other upgrades to health care because that’s what all politicians do. Plus, while there are still a number of challenges in the medical system, the fact that the tower is being constructed, means improvements are happening. However, no one party is responsible for everything that is happening and credit should be given to everyone that is involved.