VIHA’s healthcare cutbacks ‘unacceptable,’ cry protesters
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Updated: November 22, 2009 2:10 PM
Healthcare activists armed with banners, signs and song sheets bused to the Victoria legislature on Wednesday from Salt Spring Island and throughout Vancouver Island.
Coinciding with National Medicare Week, close to 150 concerned citizens brought a unified message of discontent to the B.C. government. The Vancouver Island Health Authority’s recently announced slashing of public healthcare services to make up for its $45 million funding shortfall is “unacceptable,” protesters said.
Over 30 supporters of Salt Spring’s Save Our Surgery (SOS) group made their presence seen and heard. The group had initiated the rally by liaising with the B.C. Health Coalition to bring activists together from across the Vancouver Island.
“The recent wave of cuts to programs and services, delays in funding to develop necessary care facilities, growing privatization and increased rates for seniors’ facilities must stop!” reads a B.C. Health Coalition press release.
Gary Holman, former CRD director for Salt Spring, spoke of VIHA’s “deceitful cuts” and its reluctance to reopen the Lady Minto Hospital’s state-of-the-art operating room that VIHA itself had asked the CRD board to help fund five years ago:
“They came to the board saying this is our top priority for healthcare on Salt Spring Island is to upgrade your hospital and to build this new operating facility. Five years later it sits empty with no surgeon.”
Representatives from the James Bay Community Centre, Mt. Tolmie Hospital, Oak Bay Lodge, The Council of Canadians, Citizens for Quality Healthcare Coalition, Campbell River hospital and others, each with their own unique concerns related to cutbacks from VIHA and the B.C. government, took the mic that was MC’d by Irene Wright from Salt Spring.
BC NDP leader Carole James and NDP MLA for Vancouver-Kingsway Adrian Dix drove home their opposition to health cuts. Liberal MPs were invited, but none attended.
“Health care cuts should be stopped; administrative salaries should be cropped,” decried a sign waved by a Salt Spring Island “Raging Granny” who wore the group’s customary bonnet, festooned with political pins and plastic flowers.
Grannies from Salt Spring Island and Vancouver Island belted their pro-public healthcare jingles over the microphone, receiving vocal support from other activists, MLAs and onlookers.
