Dickson shunned at rally

May 10, 2008 - 05:18

By Kristen Calis

AJAX -- Ajax-Pickering MPP Joe Dickson wasn't too upset Friends of the Ajax Pickering Hospital co-chairman Bill Parish didn't allow him to speak at last Saturday's mental health rally.

"That's fine because their heart's in the right place," he said, adding without the work of concerned groups, he probably wouldn't have gotten the attention he has from Minister of Health and Long-term Care George Smitherman.

A number of people spoke at the event, contesting the transfer of 20 mental health beds from the Rouge Valley Ajax and Pickering hospital to Centenary in Scarborough, including mayors Dave Ryan and Steve Parish, Ontario Public Service Employees Union representatives, and Ajax-Pickering MP Mark Holland.

Mr. Dickson's name wasn't on the speaker's list since he had to first attend a funeral and wasn't sure he'd be back in time. Master of ceremonies Wendy Holliday did ask him to speak, but Bill Parish said no.

Mr. Parish said he heard somebody say. 'Don't let him speak', so he didn't.

"We didn't see any reason to include him," he said. "In our view he had done little or nothing to get a meeting with Smitherman."

Mr. Parish said it took a number of phone calls to Mr. Dickson's office before hearing anything back regarding a meeting with Mr. Smitherman, and he never did meet with the Friends. But, Mr. Dickson said the Friends only contacted him in order to get Mr. Smitherman's e-mail address.â?¨ Mr. Dickson said he's raised his petition against the transfer each day in the legislature, and even on the times he's left for other committee meetings, he's had a colleague speak on it. He's had eight meetings with Mr. Smitherman but said although he's sensitive toward the issue, ministers are often reluctant to give money, in this case to keep the beds in Ajax, since financial requests come often and from many.

"At this point in time I don't really know what's going on in the back of the minister's mind," he said.

As for Mr. Parish's comments that Mr. Dickson hasn't helped, the latter said, "everybody knows that probably no one has worked harder on this particular challenge with the hospital and anything to do with the hospital over the past 40 years than me."

Mr. Parish was equally unimpressed by Pickering-Scarborough East MPP Wayne Arthurs.

"They should be ashamed of themselves for not standing up for their community in their hour of need," he said.

But, Mr. Arthurs - who emphasized mental health care is an important priority - said he's also met with Mr. Smitherman, where the minister made it clear it's not his role to make decisions on services at the local level.

"That's why we have LHINs and hospital boards in place," he said.

Mr. Arthurs believes the LHINs have to continue working with hospitals and communities in order to continue to improve hospital services, but as for the mental health move he said, "I think they had to come to that conclusion," adding he was encouraged to see mental health emergency hours extended to 16 hours each day. He also feels ensuring the hospital's expansion is a top priority.

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