Letters: January 28

Re: Rurality Changes Index will affect doctor recruitment, John McDougall

Re: SLHS Students Raise $5000 Promoting a Cause, Erika Benn

Re: Senior's Housing in Sharbot Lake, Michelle Greenstreet

Re: Harper Eroding Deocracy, Edward Kennedy

Ignatieff ignores whole constituencies, Brent Cameron

Unocupied Paliamentary Seats, John McEwen

Re: X-Ray Machines & the One Metre Initiative, Nancy Smith

Re: Rurality Changes Index will affect doctor recruitment (Nov 14/10)

In 1963, the village of Verona managed to attract a physician and his young family by building a clinic for him. He subsequently bought the building, moved into his own home, and expanded the clinic. Two physicians is the usual complement of this medical practice.

Verona is once again in the position where their doctor is planning for retirement. Our Verona and District Health Services Committee has been attempting to recruit for three years. Our present physician, Dr. Laurel Dempsey, has 2100 patients and needs to roster 1000 immediately and we need to plan for her retirement.

We have tried creative publicity programs and recruitment forums, but to date have had no success. In those years, communities like Kingston and Belleville have had great success with their recruitment through financial incentives provided by their local governments.

The Ontario government’s financial recruiting and retention incentives and terms of the contract that governs the Verona Medical Clinic’s compensation for this under serviced area, along with our efforts, have attracted inquiries from 14 potential physicians. It is clear, however, that for rural Ontario we need to add our own community incentives. This year, we are launching a fundraising campaign to purchase our clinic and provide our own financial incentive. This will be an enormous challenge for this small rural community.

The Verona Medical Clinic’s experience with inquiries from Return of Service (ROS) residents revealed their desire for high remuneration and preference for proximity to an urban setting. The ROS program has made no difference to us. What has made a difference in other clinics in our area was the opportunity afforded to new graduates under the FHO contract, that is, a preferred rate of remuneration under the Income Stabilization Program.

We believe that this change in the Redesigned Underserviced Area Program is premature and needs to be more carefully examined within the Rurality Index for Ontario. We feel that the proposed Northern/Rural Rurality Index (RIO) for Ontario’s financial incentive program is going to be a disaster for our community. Not only will it decrease dramatically our ability to attract a doctor, it will make our fundraising goals even more of a challenge. As our census subdivision is below the RIO 40+ score, our ability to offer stabilized income to new graduates or anyone else is lost. The tuition grant and moving allowance are also tied to the RIO score.

We need the present Underserviced Designation assistance for success in this community.

The Census Subdivisions look like a good measure from an administrative and bureaucratic point of view, but in reality the subdivisions are too large and the individual communities within the designation are diverse. For instance, although in Verona we are within 50 minutes of downtown Kingston and its hospitals, we are on the second busiest north-south highway after Hwy. 400 in Ontario. If the factors in arriving at the new Rurality Index are travel time to the nearest basic and advanced referral centre, there is a completely different reality for the southern reaches of South and Central Frontenac than the middle and northern reaches. Yet, our Portland district community score of 25 is the same as Loughborough district, parts of which are 30 minutes closer to Kingston and its resources.

Our nearest ambulance service is in Parham, which is at least 20 minutes further north away from Kingston than the clinic itself. A new ambulance base is planned for Sydenham in the south, which makes our situation even more untenable. Now we hear that the Parham base may be moved to Sharbot Lake or Ompah. Where does it end?

Dr. Dempsey has a huge practice that needs to be shared with a second physician immediately. If we cannot recruit, our patient population will be unable to move to adjacent rural practices as those practices are already swollen to capacity.

In addition, we believe that there are many potential patients in our community who now must travel to Kingston and other centres to access a family doctor. Although many say they have a family doctor, they rarely if ever actually see their family doctor at all. This is particularly disturbing for our senior population, who have recurring and ongoing problems that they want monitored by a trusted family physician.

Right now, while we applaud a process of re-evaluation, we feel that the results are flawed and need a second look before they will actually strengthen the recruitment and retention plans in communities such as ours. Rural health care remains an issue that must be addressed in the up-coming election both at the provincial and at the township level.

John McDougall, Chair
Verona and District Health Services Committee

Re: SLHS Student Raise $5000 Promoting a Cause (Jan 21/10)

I would like to congratulate the Civics class at Sharbot Lake High School for their successful philanthropic efforts aimed at local charitable organizations. Perhaps the greatest value of programs such as the Youth Philanthropy Initiative is their power to raise awareness among Canadian youth of the importance and diversity of charities in their community. Supporting local programs and organizations that promote social justice and address social determinants among humans, as well as animals, inarguably also promotes positive social change globally. I hope you continue to remain strong advocates and proponents of charitable initiatives and causes in our greater community. Great work!

Erika Benn

Re: Seniors’ housing project in Sharbot Lake

Jeff Green's article in the Frontenac News (OMB hearing delay request rejected, January 14, 2010) regarding the proposed seniors' housing in Sharbot Lake has several errors. Firstly, the OMB appeal hearing aimed at stopping this project is scheduled to take place on February 3, 4 and 5, (Not Feb 2). It is also open to the public. The location is Soldiers Memorial Hall in Sharbot Lake, start time 10:30AM. We encourage concerned citizens to attend. Secondly, respected independent professional engineer and planner Bob Clarke has been hired by the many residents opposing this project, not Roy Sepa, a member of our group.

We would like to point out that North Frontenac Non-Profit Housing's (NFNPH) project to develop five low-income seniors units south of Sharbot Lake for over $800,000 of taxpayer money is opposed by effectively all the residents near the proposed site in the Clement-Wagner Road area. Currently over 70 signatures from the citizens and property owners in this area have been collected on a public petition. Our group includes business owners, property owners, seniors and retirees who have had a good look at this project and are vehemently opposed to it.

First, the project required unprecedented severance, zoning and official plan changes to allow it into this largely rural residential/waterfront neighbourhood. The township has done everything to promote and fast-track this development, but has effectively no visible public support. The mayor and some councillors have not spoken with our group or addressed our concerns. We believe the shameful spot-zoning involved and the railroading of this project should be a concern to all voting citizens.

Second, the project is sited on a sub-standard dirt road in a forested area 3.5 km south of the Sharbot Lake. It is unsafe and unsuitable for fragile seniors. It will be costly for taxpayer-supported on-going social services such as Rural Routes, Meals on Wheels, etc. This is an experiment that is unprecedented and unacceptable. We recommend using the money to build up to 10 seniors units in a proper village
setting, adjacent to all necessary services. Third, the residents of Central Frontenac will have no priority for this housing. Only those who are first in line on a regional waiting list will get accommodation. This is wrong for a project touted by Mayor Gutowski as being good for Central Frontenac.

The Township and NFNPH would be wise to listen to the increasing opposition, which will not go away soon.

Signed by Clements-Wagner Residents Group:
Michelle Greenstreet, Tim and Margaret Hagel, Lyle and Bev Byrnes, Roy and Shelley Sepa, Brian and Linda West.

Re: Harper Eroding Democracy

Joanne Pickett, in her ruminations (Harper Eroding Democracy, Jan 21/10), apparently in her subjective bent, squints out of her left eye and talks out of the left side of her mouth.

One wonders where she was when real tyrants conspired to destroy the democratic process by their attempts to usurp power via an unelected coaliton government, or her whereabouts when C-68, a liberal law imposed by Chretien riding on misrepresentation, lies, and deceptions, was imposed on an innocent and law abiding public.

Then we have the "Inhuman Rights Commissions" whose record is a 100% conviction rate against defendents and where the leader of this fascist organization, Jennifer Lynch, is on record as saying "Truth is not an issue".

If I may step into the provincial arena for a moment, we have another tyrant who not only has written laws that steals land value from landowners, but also removes the democratic right for a man to seek redress by use of the legal system.

As to propaganda, what better example of the propaganda pushed by liberals and their useful idiots that costs of C-68 would be two million, when in reality it cost a billion and still rising?

Totally ridiculous is her assertion that Harper's government is a dictatorship; one wonders how any minority government could ever be characterized as such when it can be toppled anytime.

Cowardice, duplicity, contemptuous and unscrupulous are better and more accurately applied to the past federal liberal governments under Chretien, Martin, and the present provincial government of McGuinty.

I am, however, pleased to tell her that while I agree Mr. Harper is not perfect, nor am I totally enthralled or in agreement at some things he has done, or failed to do. The truth still is that the only perfect man who ever lived was Jesus Christ and look what they did to Him!

As politicians go, Harper is still far above the dishonesty, duplicity, and cowardice of previous federal counterparts and the present provincial government of McGuinty.

Edward Kennedy

Ignatieff ignores whole constituencies

Some people may have recently read that Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff has just concluded a cross-Canada tour to listen to Canadians and rebuild the fortunes of his party. Most people, however, probably were surprised to hear that there was a tour to begin with. You see, Professor Ignatieff decided to restrict his speaking engagements to just university campuses.

While there is nothing inherently wrong with speaking to crowds of university students, Professor Ignatieff has chosen to listen to no one but them.

According to the Conference Board of Canada, only 24.6 percent of Canadians aged 25 to 64 have a university degree. By definition, that leaves 75.4 percent of the population falling outside the group Professor Ignatieff is interested in talking to.

Worse still, when one considers that all universities are located in a few urban ridings, Professor Ignatieff has, by default, decided to ignore, or write-off, whole constituencies like Lanark-Frontenac-Lennox and Addington.

Because of the opportunities I had growing up, and the support of my family, I was fortunate enough to have earned a degree, and also, I suppose, the privilege to be considered among those who Professor Ignatieff would bother to take the time to consult.

On the other hand, the education I have was as much due to luck and the generosity of others as it was my own study habits. Most people in this country do not have that luck, or that support, but what they do have is the right to be listened to and respected as citizens of this country. They work, they pay taxes, raise families, and they contribute to their community. Why then do they also need a student card and enrolment in an undergrad English Lit class before the leader of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition will speak to them?

Governing Canada, or leading a national party, is not like conducting a university lecture. If Professor Ignatieff cannot be bothered to meet Canadians on their terms, then he should consider returning to academic life where he need never run into anyone not possessing that all-important degree.

Brent Cameron

Unoccupied Parliamentary Seats

Currently we now have no representation in either house from either Mr. Reid or Mr. Hillier. Mr. Reid had no choice; PM Harper prorogued parliament arbitrarily (I am assuming he did not seek Mr. Reid’s opinion).

However, Mr. Hillier’s continued uncivilized behaviour has resulted in his being banished from Queen’s Park until the next session. I am told that we will not have another “session” until the next election October 2011. This means we will be paying for an “unoccupied seat” at Queen’s Park for the next 22 months. Mr. Hillier (like Mr. Reid) will continue to collect his pay to not go to work.

John McEwen

Re: X ray Machines & One Meter Initiative

I would like to comment on a letter and an article that appeared in the January 21 Frontenac News.

With regard to the airport x-ray machines (Letters, X-Ray Machines in Airports, Jan 21/10) I don't fly often but I do enjoy it when I do. I have trust in the pilot & crew and in the air traffic controllers. I would like to have the same feeling about the people aboard the plane and anything that can be done to keep passengers safe should be done. If you are not doing anything wrong, for your own safety the x-ray machine is a good thing. It isn't like you need to strip off in public. Just walk in, walk out and remember it is for your own safety.

With regard to the One Meter Initiative article (North Frontenac Council, Jan 21/10) by Jeff Green. I think it would be a good thing for our township. The view from a telescope on a starry night or when the northern lights are on is a beautiful thing. This could be enjoyed by residents as well as tourists. In your article are many comments, one of which is the reason for this letter. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but to resort to name calling, like a 5-year-old, and slurring a person’s character at a public meeting could make for a law suit in my opinion. I don't know Mr. Roy and wouldn't know him if I met him on the street but I believe that he deserves an apology from Mr. Beam.

Nancy Smith