ww The East York EXOTIC PET PROTECTION n Zoocheck fighting to keep OBSERVER animals well cared-for. Page 3 Our 40th anniversary year.... Serving our community since 1972 Vol. 41, No. 3 www.torontoobserver.ca Friday, March 2, 2012 TEGH merger talks ‘ended’ By ZENAIRA ALI The Observer Merger talks between Toronto East General Hos- pital (TEGH) and The Scarborough Hospital (TSH) are over, according to TEGH’s chief executive. TEGH president and CEO Rob Devitt says that East General was approached by TSH in May 2011 about a merger that could help the two institutions save money. In November, they jointly paid $90,000 to Corpus Sanchez International (CSI) Consultancy to assess the potential risks and benefits. CSI’s report projected savings of up to $27.2 million in light of the administrative and operational changes that would result if the hospitals combined. But while the original merger proposal involved only administrative changes to the way the two hospitals would operate, it evolved into a proposal for a merger of some clinical operations as well. At that point, the Central East Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) — which the Scarborough Hospi- tal is a part of — asked TSH to also explore other Aldis Brennan /// Observer integration opportunities. Interim Liberal Leader Bob Rae speaks to the media outside Liberal candidate Grant Gordon’s “In a nutshell, Central East LHIN had a meeting Toronto-Danforth campaign office on Saturday. Rae was in the riding in anticipation of the March last Wednesday where they directed TSH to look at 19 byelection, and addressed the growing scandal around allegations of bogus phone calls made least four other options in detail,” Devitt told the to voters during the last federal election by call centres affiliated with the Conservative party. Observer. “We looked at that and said there are op- tions in there that we’re not interested in.” At a town hall meeting on Wednesday night at the East York Civic Centre, Devitt addressed the change in plans. “On Friday, we announced that we’ve decided to end those discussions — and I want to be clear about Riding in limelight the word ‘end,’” he said. “It doesn’t say ‘suspend.’ It says ‘end,’ and I really want to stress that.” the developing countries,” said access to medicines in the de- A similar public meeting was held earlier this Press conference Laverdiére. “It’s not compli- veloping world, there are very month in Scarborough at St. Paul’s L’Amoreaux cated to simplify it. This bill... clear market failures and this is Center, hosted by the Friends of The Scarborough discusses the tries to simplify the process one very good, clear example Hospital. More than 200 people showed up, and most and make it work.” of that,” Orbinski said. “The spoke out against the merger. NDP ‘Medicine She added: “We will need impact of this on children is Devitt said the decision to move on was made by for All’ bill to count on votes from vari- profound.... 250,000 children the TEGH board after “due diligence.” ous Parliamentarians both in die each year from HIV/AIDS “They looked at what was going on with LHIN. By CORIANDRE the House of Commons and when in fact that is completely They listened to the feedback they had heard from LAWRENCE the Senate and count deeply unnecessary. There is no vi- our medical staff and they looked at the report,” he The Observer on civil society and actors who able market mechanism at this said. “They looked at everything and decided to end have been so involved in the time that will allow for access the discussion and move on to other things.” The official Opposition in issue in the past. But person- to treatment…. The same is Devitt said a major reason behind TEGH’s deci- the House of Commons chose ally I am very confident that true for many adults and chil- sion to back out was how long the process would a venue in the hotly contested n Craig Scott Parliamentarians will get be- dren with other diseases.” take. riding of Toronto-Danforth for hind this bill acknowledging “When you look at how long that it’s taken us some high-level promotion of and Scott said the bill, if en- that it’s really the right thing to get to a prototype document from the original an international initiative last acted into law, will improve to do.” option, considering other options would take many, week. access to life-saving medicine Scott, a professor of interna- many months,” he said. “We thought the best thing So NDP byelection candi- in developing countries. They tional law at York University’s for us to do is to say, ‘Scarborough, you’ve got your date Craig Scott shared the said it would amend legisla- Osgoode Hall Law School, thing to do, go do it. We’ll go off and look at other platform with the Opposition’s tion affecting Canada’s Ac- gave the bill his full support options.’” foreign affairs critic, Hélène cess to Medicines Regime and spoke to its relevance and @ According to Central East LHIN spokesperson Laverdiére, and the former (CAMR). what it represents. Katie Cronin-Wood, the health network had no prob- president of Doctors Without Parliament unanimous- “A child dies every three lem with the merger. Borders, James Orbinski. ly implemented CAMR in seconds around the world “There’s nothing wrong with what TSH and The trio’s Feb. 24 press con- 2004, allowing exports of from lack of quality medi- TEGH were doing,” Cronin-Wood said. “We were ference at Eastminster United generic drugs to developing cine,” Scott said. “As Canadi- O THE CHOICE just cautioning them that as they move forward, they Church on Danforth Avenue countries to help battle HIV/ ans, we have a responsibility need to engage the community and look at other was to show support for an AIDS, tuberculosis and other to co-operate in this effort and options.” NDP private member’s bill, serious diseases. However, protect human health as a hu- According to Devitt, TEGH now plans to work C-398, dubbed the Medicine Laverdiére, Scott and Orbin- man right. This is exactly what 2012 with its stakeholders to explore other ways of im- for All Bill. ski say CAMR’s process is Bill C-398 seeks to do.” proving East York’s health care. Orbinski, who accepted the too intricate for countries and Orbinski provided insight n Pre-election “As we look at the long-term sustainability of the Nobel Peace Prize on behalf pharmaceutical companies to on health issues dependent coverage health-care system we all love, we need to lift our of Doctors Without Borders be successful. on the bill, stating that it is a eyes to the horizon and think of different ways of in 1999, is now the chair of “Before, it was a very con- serious opportunity to achieve continues: doing things for the good of patient care,” he said. Global Health at the Universi- voluted process and a burden improved results. pages 4-6 ty of Toronto. He, Laverdiére for all the parties, including “The fact is that in terms of 2 NEWS The East York Observer /// Friday, March 2, 2012 n AGNES MACPHAIL AWARD POLICE BRIEFS Poverty speech captures contest Sexual assault By TEONA BAETU nervous and a little excited... talked about what he had for The Observer and early in the year of 1922 lunch. We (the judges) were charges laid was the first time Agnes impressed that he could jux- A man is facing And the winner is: Haris Macphail, as the first female tapose those two things,” Prue three charges Babar. member of Parliament, walked said. of aggravated Babar, a Grade 7 student into the Parliament Buildings. Prue sat on the judging panel sexual assault from Gordon A. Brown Mid- So I think she too was nervous alongside Michael Smith and after police were dle School, took home the Ag- and excited,” said Bob Lister, East York school board trustee called to the area nes Macphail public speaking co-ordinator of the contest and Gerri Gershon. of Broadview trophy on Feb. 22 after deliv- master of ceremonies, in his Babar said he prepared for and Cosburn av- ering his speech on poverty. opening remarks. the contest for a month, and enues. A woman “Today in my lunch I had Lister and his wife organized his teachers and mother were said a man met a delicious slice of pizza, a the contest, which celebrates very supportive. her downtown chilled Coke and tasty fries. its 15th anniversary this year. He also said the competing with promises But while I was having my Michael Prue, the MPP for contestants did really well too of a modeling lunch, I never thought about Beaches-East York and the — and he wished them luck job, but when the those 12,342 children who will lead judge for the contest, said next year. pair arrived at an die today because of hunger,” the judges were impressed by Babar will offer an encore apartment, the Babar said. Babar’s ability to talk about of his winning speech in three man prevented The annual speaking com- “something as mundane and weeks, at the annual Agnes her from leaving petition for students in grades ordinary” as a child having Macphail Award ceremony at and sexually as- 6-8 took place in the audito- lunch at school and compare the civic centre. saulted her. Er- rium of the East York Civic it to “what happens to 12,342 That occasion recognizes rol Spooner, 33, Centre.