$1.00 www.oshawaexpress.ca “Well Written, Well Read” Vol 4 No 17 Wednesday, Feb 18, 2009 Oshawa hospital cutting costs By Katie Strachan and Lindsey Cole It could also mean that Lakeridge Health havoc this would create in Oshawa at a recent may end up impacting the quality of care we The Oshawa Express Bowmanville could close on evenings and regional committee meeting. receive. If we go down to five days or limited limit hours, which would place more of a bur- “Oshawa can no longer accommodate the hours in Bowmanville, it’ll affect Oshawa.” Lakeridge Health is facing a $10.8 million den on Oshawa’s hospital. patients they already have,” says councillor Scugog Mayor Marilyn Pearce says her fear deficit and that number could grow even larg- While Empey says the reduction in hours at John Henry. is the same. er next year if nothing is done to cut costs. the Bowmanville hospital is a just a rumour, Echoes Clarington Mayor Jim Abernethy, “To try and think we can just push every- So says Kevin Empey, president and CEO some local politicians believe otherwise. “We could be looking at a crisis in regards to of Lakeridge Health, who has spearheaded Councillors and mayors from various critical care in Durham region. It (the closure) See STAFF page 6 drastic cost-cutting measures resulting in job municipalities cuts and restructuring in the administration expressed their Budget approved sector of the hospitals. concerns and the GM makes plea Taxes to GM is making an offer to the that GM will stay in Canada, increase federal government on Friday, particularly in Oshawa. Feb. 20 that will ultimately Over the last year alone, By Katie Strachan determine the automakers fate more than 5,000 workers were The Oshawa Express in Canada. laid off in the community, with The company intends to sub- a week of production in the car While the newly released budget mit a recovery plan with the plant halted in January, the clo- has Oshawa homeowners facing for a hope of getting a much-needed sure of the truck plant and mas- 3.3 per cent tax levy increase, the city bailout from the Canadian gov- sive lay offs. is hoping to provide funding to the ernment. While the future remains public libraries and the senior citizens This news comes after GM unknown for the one-time lead- centres, lobby with the provincial and denied a $3 billion short-term ing car manufacturer, for Chris federal governments for funding and bailout from the federal and Buckley, president of the create a reserve for the winter months provincial governments last Canadian Auto Workers Local maintenance program. month. To some this was an 222, maintaining a Canadian The 2009 operating and capital indication that GM didn’t plan footprint is essential to keeping budget was approved, it wasn’t with- to stay in Canada. jobs on this side of the border, out arguement. Council managed to However, this plan for local he told Oshawa Express in a deliberate on items, having cut some residents may give some hope previous interview. $4 million in expenses. Council doled out the cash in limited supply, count- ing on a declining economic climate. Tree planting in “We not only have to look at the current situation but ensure that the decisions we are making in the present memory of Pat Gostlin will benefit the future,” says council- Planting a tree rep- Gostlin’s favourite lor April Cullen. resents growth, life. places, Lakeview Park. In Nov. 2008, council had original- For Joan Kerr it While the city is just ly calculated the budget at $7.3 mil- also represents clo- steps away from approv- lion, which would have resulted in a sure by keeping the ing the memorial, as it 7.3 per cent tax increase, however memory of local goes to council Feb. 23, they were able to cut about $4 million, Green Party leader Kerr says it’s a way to which brought the 2009 budget to $3.2 Pat Gostlin alive the remember a dear friend. million total. only way she knows Pat Gostlin Gostlin was killed in Savings were obtained through the how, through a memorial tree a car crash caused by a drunk Staff Revitalization Program, which planting ceremony at one of See FRIEND page 6 saved the city about $644,000, energy savings contracts which saved Oshawa Generals NEXT GAMES Photo by Katie Strachan/ The Oshawa Express Oshawa $370,000 and some salary • Thursday, Feb. 19 vs Kingston Frontenacs at GMC and wage reductions. Fun with Ronald McDonald “If we’re able to follow the guide- • Saturday, Feb. 21 in Peterborough VS the Petes Brother and sister team, Kristin and Ryan, spend time with Ronald McDonald who came to visit the McDonald’s restaurant at the Oshawa Centre for its re-grand opening. See 2009 BUDGET page 6 $91 million hospital redevelopment project By Lindsey Cole But where is the money coming from to times the philanthropy is always prominent.” Health. The Oshawa Express pay for this costly endeavour? Part of the money raised will go towards “The foundation is going to work hard to According to Jim Szeman, CEO of the the Lakeridge Health Education and fill that void,” he says. The Oshawa hospital will receive a $91.5 Oshawa Hospital Research Network The remaining 80 per cent will come million infusion and could offer work to Foundation, $50 million is (LHEARN), which aims from the province. more than 300 people. slated to come from the to provide educational Says Empey, “The government of Ontario Aecon Buildings has been awarded the community through the “The people of Oshawa resources to doctors realized about five years ago that it was put- contract to build Lakeridge Health Oshawa’s ‘My Health My Hospital – are going into patient doing residencies at the ting an incredible burden on smaller commu- hospital redevelopment project, an initiative Building Today for hospital. A new simula- nities (by only funding 50 per cent).” in part by Infrastructure Ontario. Excellence Tomorrow’ care areas today that are tor lab, as well as an For Empey, this means the hospital not Construction can begin this month with campaign. auditorium, are just only has government support but it also has more than 300 workers on site daily, a press This is the largest goal not up to modern some of the new addi- the opportunity to better patient care. release from the hospital states. in the foundation’s histo- standards.” tions. The project also means up to 200 more The project will increase capacity in a ry, he says, adding money New equipment for beds. number of areas including medical/surgical, will be segregated to dif- the facility and a new “Some of this won’t be an immediate dialysis, birthing and paediatrics, rehabilita- ferent areas that go hand -Jim Szeman pharmacy are also on expansion,” he explains. It all comes down tion and childcare, adolescent and adult in hand with the project. CEO of the Oshawa Hospital the list, Szeman to patient care, he says. mental health. Despite harsh econom- Foundation explains. “The people of Oshawa are going into While regular hospital business will carry ic times, Szeman says he While only $18 mil- patient care areas today that are not up mod- on as usual, the hospital will also be able to is confident the communi- lion is going towards ern standards. accommodate additional surgical cases, ty will come together to pitch in. actual building costs, it amounts to about 20 We have wanted this for a long time. It emergency and ambulatory visits once con- “Our community has always supported per cent of the entire project, says Kevin (the hospital) will have much more modern, struction is complete in the spring of 2011. us,” says Szeman. “Even through recession Empey, president and CEO of Lakeridge suitable facilities.” Woman robbed, thrown from moving truck An Oshawa woman was robbed and thrown from Suspect one is a white male about 24 to 30 years a moving vehicle downtown. old. He is about 5’5’’ with a slender build and was Three people, one of whom she knew, coaxed the wearing dark clothing. Suspect two is also a white woman into a pick-up truck. They then robbed her man with red-brown hair and a goatee. purse, taking all her cash, personal ID and several of The third person in the vehicle was later identified her prescription medications. to police as someone the victim knew. After a short drive, the 44 year-old woman was Police are still searching for the vehicle, which is dumped at an intersection while the pick-up truck described as a white 2005 Chevrolet Silverado pick- was still moving. up. She was taken to Lakeridge Health Oshawa where Anyone with information is asked to contact she received treatment and was later released. Detective Moore at 1-888-579-1520 ext. 3617. Durham Regional Police scoured the downtown Anonymous tips can be made to Durham Regional area in search of the three suspects and the pick-up Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) and tip- truck. There have been no arrests in conjunction with sters may be eligible for a cash reward of $2,000. the incident. Durham women scammed A Toronto man has been charged with fraud after to come forward and report their losses, according to an elaborate business scam went wrong police. in Durham Region. The 58-year-old man is charged with The accused man met his victims at fraud under $2,000 after his arrest on Feb.