EF%;: DEHJ>;HDB?<;"M;:D;I:7O"C7H9>('"(&&-/ 8PNFO.11TOPUBMXBZTMBEJFT #SJHIUMJHIUT push is on to elect more women to the interrupting or be thrown out. another time labelled Conservative legislature, but it is a bit of a stretch Pupatello charged Progressive comments on her party “crap.” to conclude this will make that rowdy Conservative premier Mike Harris was Harris’s minister of universities, CJHDJUJFT institution kinder and gentler. “like Hitler” because he wanted to decide Dianne Cunningham, infuriated Liberals Women have shown they can be as issues by referenda. Equating someone by giving them the finger during an ow that the census results are A out, the numbers people are busy tough, obstructionist with the Nazi dictator is about the most exchange. Not many accepted her Eric Dowd and stubborn as offensive charge a politician can make. explanation she was merely having determining trends in our fair men when their Pupatello has been thrown out of the difficulty adjusting her glasses. nation. One thing is certain: We are causes, often worthy, legislature at least twice for interjecting NDP ministers often were belligerent Nall getting older. I wonder how much are ignored and, repeatedly and refusing to stop. when that party held government. money they spent although fewer, New Democrat Marilyn Churley, who Frances Lankin jeered that a Conservative Ric Wellwood to determine that have helped the quit to create one of the by-elections, questioning her about drug policies must one? legislature win a was ejected once oddly for repeatedly be on drugs himself. Still, the reputation for being interjecting Pupatello. Churley, when minister of consumer population is as disorderly as Churley was also turfed out for calling and commercial relations, told an opponent growing apace, the Jerry Springer Municipal Affairs Minister John Gerretsen to “shut up.” except in Toronto Show. a liar, a word legislature rules prohibit as The first woman MPP thrown out was where the rate is Women also discouraging reasonable debate. Liberal Sheila Copps in 1984, when she slower than both have won four of The only woman leader a party has accused the NDP of having unionists tape- the nation and the seven most had, Liberal Lyn McLeod, was turned out record talks with her party to use against it the province. The recent byelections and now have 26 of the twice, first for calling Harris a liar, because and misleading by denying it. reason for this, I legislature’s 103 seats. This is still nowhere he broke promises not to cut health care Conservative Bette Stephenson, who suppose, is that near enough, and parties are promising spending and introduce user fees. went on to become the first woman deputy most of Toronto to run more women in ridings where The second time was four days later, premier, once said a questioner seemed to was trapped in they have a chance of winning. They say when she rejected a demand she withdraw be paranoid and should see a psychiatrist. traffic when the census was taken. It’s an the benefits will include improvement in the accusation. She showed persistence on There are many good reasons for OK place to visit, as long as you don’t have MPPs’ behaviour. her way out, walking across the floor toward electing more women to the legislature, but to drive. The train seems a logical choice, They may not have seen women the premier, pointing and warning “Mike, they are not going to turn it into a sedate but people still insist on contributing to politicians in action like Economic you are not going to get away with this.” ladies’ sewing circle. the city’s notorious smog by idling their Development and Trade Minister Sandra Elinor Caplan, a former Liberal engines on the Gardiner or one of the 400- Pupatello, who seems to be warned almost minister, called Harris’s health minister, Eric Dowd is a veteran member of the series highways. daily by Speaker Mike Brown to stop Jim Wilson, a liar and had to leave, and Queen’s Park press gallery. I lived in Toronto during my Ryerson years and it was nice. They called it “Toronto the Good” back then. I blush to EJ>;HLE?9;I confess that room, board, transportation and entertainment could be had for one hundred dollars a month. For me, a small town boy, it was The Big City! I could catch Gordon Lightfoot at the Steeles Tavern for )FBMUIDBSFJTTVFTBSFOµUMPDBMPOFT the price of a beer, and see triple features at the Rio or Biltmore for a buck or two. n Thursday, March 8 I attended the Former mayor Jim Gordon highlighted corporate elites. Many of us “ordinary” I could see Wayne and Schuster for free community forum hosted by CBC the fact that, tens of thousands of Sudburi- folk attach our horses to different wagons. during their tapings at CBC’s Studio Six. Radio in Sudbury. Paramedics, ans without a family doctor have no medi- These mostly male CEOs are members Times have changed. We have all aged, nurses, doctors and nurse practitio- cal history being monitored and so, their of the Canadian Council of Chief Execu- including our cities, which are holding ners spoke about problems and solu- lives are at risk. He was right to say there tives (CCCE), which represent Canada’s most of our population now by far. A O century ago, 60 percent of the population tions. They spoke should be a war over this state of affairs. richest 150 corporations. This organization lived in rural areas. I can’t figure out why Paul Chislett about the unfinished There was no shortage of knowledge, is backed by think tanks such as the C.D. hospital and about commitment or love of community at the Howe Institute, the Fraser Institute and people would prefer the smog and gridlock, health-care issues forum. What we were short of were expla- the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies. A but they do. surrounding clinics, nations for the complete lack of transpar- major initiative is underway, which has the One thing is certain. Our fertility is lack of family doc- ency and accountability on the part of full support of the CCCE and Prime Min- down, with only one-point-five offspring tors, and what one those who are in charge of managing our ister Stephen Harper, called the Security from any union. Our population is nurse described as a health-care system. The forum helped us and Prosperity Partnership (SPP). The goal growing by immigration. dangerous shortage see what needs to be done locally, and reas- of this initiative is economic and security What is the census really telling us? We of nurses. sured those of us there that the people in integration with the United States, and the really are paving paradise for a series of It was obvious the frontlines of the system know what to major spin off is greater corporate profit. parking lots and roads. Second, we are not all of the profession- do to fix things. The SPP is being crafted, according to a canoodling enough to keep the population als know what has So why are they not able to? The major Council of Canadians (CoC) report, with- big enough to sustain our boomers who to be done. The lon- part of the answer is the fact that the out public debate. The CoC report states expect some sort of pension fund from the ger-range solutions health-care system is being privatized right that “the SPP was signed without the back- younger generation. include: before our eyes. North American political ing of Parliament, and without the general Finally, there is lots of room to grow if we go to the other ninety percent of NHeading off the nursing shortage by and corporate elites have their own agenda knowledge or acceptance of the Canadian training far more than the 3,200 nurses per for health care. The health-care issue can- public.” Canada that is largely the domain of birds year trained now. not be properly contextualized without A reader may well ask, what does this and rodents at the moment. NWe need to continue to do all we can examining the relationship between these have to do with our health-care system? to attract doctors to Sudbury. corporate leaders and our political lead- The think tanks mentioned earlier are Ric Wellwood is a broadcaster and writer. NWe need to finish the hospital and ers. There is a plan for health care in this the same ones that were instrumental in renovate the other sites because clearly we country, and it is being formulated as any feeding policy ideas to the Mike Harris are going to need them. The shorter term other corporate business plan would be – in government in Ontario. Those policies of solutions include creating, without delay, secret, by unaccountable CEOs, with no drastic cuts to government funding directly community clinics staffed with doctors, democratic input by “ordinary” working caused the massive social problems, includ- nurse practitioners and nurses. class citizens. There is no conspiracy or ing health care, we see in Sudbury. It is pos- For the Record Also, a system of sharing medical records dark plot. sible to look at the federal Liberal record as is crucial, especially in this age of an immi- It is simply business conducted by those well, when Paul Martin balanced his books Managing editor Vicki Gilhula wrote nent public health crisis involving SARS. who have attended the same university by cutting federal transfer payments to the One Cent solution makes sense for cash- and business schools.