Stop Bill 175

Dear Editor:

An open letter to MPP Ted Arnott.

Having just found out about Bill 175, from the Wellington Advertiser, I did some research and discovered, to my dismay, that it had was ordered for third reading in just 10 days, without any professional healthcare input. It was my belief that anytime a bill is about to be passed, professionals are called in to discuss the merits of individual bills, otherwise it is simply politicians pushing through their own agenda, without the very good advice of experts in the various fields.

After months of public discussion of the inhumane treatment of people that are inmates of old age homes and long-term care homes, and the sympathy that these talks garnered from people at every level of society, I ask myself: “What happened? Was the Ontario government not listening?”

Now the government wants to step away from these homes and some hospitals as well, and privatize them. They will have no more government inspections done. This leaves it up to the for-profit owners to police themselves. How will that help Ontario’s people? Something must be done to repeal this bill.

Christy Doraty, Fergus