NDP Leader calls out Tories for underfunding health care in Strathroy
With Strathroy Middlesex General Hospital as a backdrop, NDP Leader Marit Stiles slammed the Ontario government for underfunding health care as she campaigned with her party's candidate in the May 2 byelection.
The hospital's labour and delivery program was shut down, forcing pregnant women to travel to London or St. Thomas for care.
“No one should have to travel to a different town to give birth. Maternal health care needs to be a priority,” Stiles said Saturday.
“People in rural Ontario have a chance to send a message, a strong message that we've had enough of this. We need attention and support urgently.”
The Opposition leader was in Strathroy campaigning with candidate Kathryn Shailer. Health care is top of mind for voters in the community, Shailer said.
“What I'm hearing at the door is concern about underfunding of rural hospitals. It's a big issue and it affects everyone in this riding,” Shailer said. “Rural communities have been dealing with budget cuts for years. Expectant mothers having to go to London and St. Thomas is unacceptable.”
The Strathroy hospital said the reason for the shutdown is a steady drop in births over the course of recent years. It expected about 60 births by the end of March, its lowest ever total. In 2020-21 it had 87 births.
Birthing mothers once destined for Strathroy Middlesex General Hospital will be sent to London Health Sciences Centre's Victoria campus, a 40-kilometre drive, or to St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital, a 51-kilometre trek. Both offer a higher level of care, including paediatrics and neonatal intensive care if required, the hospital said in a statement.
“If we don't fight now against the Ford government's cuts to health care they will be emboldened to keep cutting,” Shailer said.
In August, the province's independent Financial Accountability Office reported the provincial government spent $1.7 billion less than planned on health care in 2022-23 as rural and smalltown hospitals struggled with staff shortages that forced some emergency rooms to periodically close.
The Doug Ford government planned to spend about $194 billion on all programs and fell short by $7.2 billion, rolling out a total of $187.1 billion.
But in February, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the federal government will give Ontario $3.1 billion over the next three years to ease the health-care crisis in the province. That's Ontario's share of the $200 billion health accord offered to the provinces last year.
Stiles says more funding is needed for the Strathroy hospital to bring its obstetric unit back and she supports integrated health teams that would see doctors working with nurses and nurse practitioners to better deliver care.
“We will work with small, rural hospitals to get them funding and support they need,” Stiles said.
Lambton-kent-middlesex is one of the largest ridings in the 10-riding London region. Its urban centres are the towns of Strathroy in the northeast and Wallaceburg in the southwest. The riding has been held by the Progressive Conservatives since 2011.
Shailer is running against Cathy Burghardt-jesson for the Liberals, Steve Pinsonneault with the Progressive Conservatives, and Andraena Tilgner for the Green Party.
The byelection was made necessary when Tory MP Monte Mcnaughton exited politics.