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Feature Article September 19

Feature Article September 19, 2001

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Leona Dombrowsky visits the Central Frontenac councilBy David BrisonMPP Leona Dombrowsky is visiting all the municipal councils in her riding. Parliament is about to sit, and she wants to be prepared.

Our councillors gave her an earful. She listened carefully, and then responded to all of the concerns brought up by the councillors. She had more to say about some issues, such as education, and health care, of which she said, It is in a crisis spending is out of control

A common theme, touched on by every councillor, was the lack of money for services that the government has downloaded to municipalities. Frances Smith led off on this theme and it was repeated, with slight improvisations, by all the other members of council. The biggest problem is funds. The downloading of responsibilities is killing us. There isnt enough money to fix roads, bridges, dumps, she said.

Bob Harvey added a wrinkle to the discussion on downloaded responsibilities by saying, I think downloading is good. We can do the jobs better, more efficiently, and cheaper as long as they dont hang us out for the funds.

Mayor Bill MacDonald addressed some specific concerns, The land ambulance has been transferred, but the funding is based on 1996 levels which everyone knows is not adequate. Also, our fire department First Response Units are being sent out in emergencies (they usually arrive there before the ambulances, which have to come from a distance) and we get no support from the province for this service. We will also need relief for the large amounts of money we will have to spend on fires this summer. The cost of two fires alone is estimated at $53,000. Mayor MacDonald said that the Frontenac Management Board has received additional support for a 32-bed addition to the Fairmount Home.

Marsden Kirk was concerned that Leona not only hears about municipal funding issues, but about health care. I am concerned about health care costs and the possibility of OHIP being discontinued. We need to find more doctors in rural areas many people are simply unable to find family doctors, said Marsden.

Leona had much to say about the health care system and health costs. There should have been reform at the primary care level in communities before the changes in hospital funding took place. Hospitals are used in a way that they were never intended for. People who need to be seen by a doctor are going to emergency rooms because there arent enough doctors in the community. People are also staying longer in hospitals because home care in communities is not available, said Leona.

Jack Nicolson raised concerns about education. A former educator himself, he is disturbed by the negative criticism of educators from this government. Jack also echoed Marsdens concerns about the health care system.

Boyce Peters said that he didnt think the government was getting enough input on education from teachers and parents.

Leona said that downloading, was supposed to be financially neutral, but it hasnt turned out that way. It is costing taxpayers more money. Municipalities now have to go to local taxpayers to fund such things as roads.

She also noted that the province has not taken advantage of federal infrastructure funding. She repeated federal Minister Brian Tobins observation that Ontario has only negotiated two Superbuild projects, whereas other provinces have close to 50 projects already.

Leona ended by saying that she thought she will be prepared when parliament meets again, and as a result will be better able to address the needs of her constituents.

With the participation of the Government of Canada