Healthcare versus a respectable standard of living

The third and final televised debate provided some moments which were quiet unlike a debate, though “light moments”, but can the leaders expected to lead the province for next four year be expected to be that non serious on certain core issues. When Progressive Conservative leader Doug Ford talked about the government and daycares shutting “down at 4:30”, Liberal leader and Premier Kathleen Wynne asked if he had ever been to a daycare. The audience laughed but Ford didn’t crack a smile. He replied, “I’m planning going down to Queen’s Park.” Day care facilities has been an issue needing an attention and treating the legislature as a day care facility though even in a lighter vein doesn’t go well with the spirit of the election. Former Prime Minister Kim Campbell had said “an election is no time to discuss serious issues” in response to a reporter’s question during the 1993 federal election, and perhaps out leaders were trying to put Kim Campbell’s sentiments into practice. Here we evaluate the stand of various parties on another hot issue-Healthcare.
Healthcare has been one issue that has been at the core of various elections and governments have been promising a lot, and each one of them has faced criticism for delivering less. “Waiting time” was an issue in 2003 too and its even today.
Liberals are promising to invest $822 million to strengthen hospital care and infrastructure. The largest annual boost in more than a decade and that has raised few eyebrows of the critics too. Obviously asking that Liberals have been in power but never proposed so in earlier years in their budget. Hope this doesn’t just remain an election promise. Knowing very well that any investment in infrastructure has to be supported well by investing in human resources, Liberal Party has proposed to hire 3,500 new nurses by the end of this year thus raising hope of creating worthwhile employment too. Liberals also have promised to spend $ 300 million over three years for registered nurses in long term care facilities. Liberals also intent to review the drug and dental program to cover 80 percent of specific drugs and dental costs. Expanding OHIP+ program to cover drug costs to seniors and over is also on the agenda of Liberals that is expected to cost $575 million.
On the health care front, PC Leader Doug Ford has promised to add 15,000 new long term care beds over the next five year and he intends to increase the number to 30,000 over the next 10 years. PC party has suggested that it would spend $ 1.9 billion over the next decade on mental health and addiction support. However, PC party is conspicuous of not talking about “hallway medicine”. Ontarians have been facing hospital overcrowding. Patients being treated outside of the rooms have been discussed a lot, but Doug Ford hasn’t found it appropriate to address the same in PC party’s election promise. His call to invest $ 98 million a year to provided dental care to low income seniors is bound to catch attention of the voters.
National Democratic Party under the command of Andrea Horwath promises to boost the hospital care by adding a new ministry of mental health and addictions. NDP has promised to invest $19 billion for hospital over 10 years. Adding 2,000 new hospital beds and 15,000 long term care beds by 2023 is also on the agenda of NDP. NDP has tried addressing the wait times by funding more hospital staff. NDP has promised to remove annual caps on the number of surgeries due to understaffing. Against a figure of 3500 by Liberals, NDP has plans to hire 4,500 new nurses in the first year itself. NDP has attempted to address the pharmacare. It plans to implement a $ 475 million plan covering 125 commonly prescribed drugs and intends to expand full dental to contract, full and part-time workers as well as low income children and retired seniors.
The parties seem to be far from a central point. On health care Ontario needs a fundamental shift. Ontario needs to help people have a respectable standard of living so that their probability of landing up in a hospital is reduced. Parties all need to have a check on the pulse of the immigrants who still have to wait for getting their OHIP cards and many are still doing odd jobs whereas they can be an asset at handling a number of problems that ail the healthcare and involving them at a faster rate could elevate the standard of living of Ontario.