NDP Leader Andrea Horwath brought her provincial election campaign to Sarnia Monday night, vowing to get Ontario's health care system off the critical list.
Horwath, and Sarnia-Lambton NDP candidate Kathy Alexander, who is executive director of the Bluewater Health Foundation, hosted a town hall forum before a crowd of about 100 at the Dante Club.
Horwath says after 15 years of liberal governments, Ontario's hospitals are overcrowded and the system "from mental health care to long-term care, is in crisis, and getting worse." She says Sarnia's Bluewater Health, particularly, is struggling with overcrowding in its mental health units.
The NDP leader claims Conservative Party leader Doug Ford will cut $6-billion across the board, and his plan for privatization would be devastating to hospitals like Bluewater Health.
“I don’t believe a hospital visit should come with a bill," says Horwath. "And I don’t believe you should get worse health care if you’re not rich."
Horwath's health care platform includes an immediate investment of $1.2 billion in Ontario’s hospitals, with an assurance that future funding keeps pace with inflation, population growth, aging, and the unique needs of our communities.
She also promises to launch a province-wide public inquiry to identify and fix problems in the long-term care system, fund 15,000 more long-term care beds over the next five years, and 40,000 new beds by 2028. The NDP would also invest $2.4-billion in an overhaul of mental health and addiction services, including hiring 2,600 more mental health professionals, shortening wait times for children’s mental health to under 30 days.
Earlier in the day Monday, Horwath visited a dairy farm near Watford where she said her pharmacare and dental plans would provide coverage to Ontario entrepreneurs including agricultural producers. She spoke with sisters and farm owners Leslie and Katie Woodfinden who have no drug or dental coverage.
