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Vaugeois speaks at Queens Park

The Thunder Bay-Superior North MPP questioned the Ford government on healthcare
Lise Vaugeois Election Win
Thunder Bay-Superior North MPP, Lise Vaugeois (Leith Dunick, tbnewswatch.com)

THUNDER BAY – Lise Vaugeois, the Member of Provincial Parliament for Thunder Bay-Superior North spoke in the house for the first time on Thursday when she asked the Premier about healthcare staffing in the region.  

“I have been contacted by nurses in my riding of Thunder Bay-Superior North expressing frustration with working in hospitals, continually short staffed, while nurses from for-profit agencies are working next to them earning two and sometimes three times their wages,” she said. 

“How is it the Ministry of Health can justify limiting public sector nurses to a 1 per cent increase with inflation near 8 per cent, while staff from for-profit agencies performing the same duties receive so much more?” 

Minister of Health and Deputy Premier, Sylvia Jones responded saying that she is greatly concerned by the opposition's talk of “limiting opportunities”. 

“We have a hospital system that has worked very well with their nurses' associations with their medical associations to make sure that all opportunities are explored to make sure that they have the appropriate coverage in their departments, in their areas, and we need to continue that work,” she said. 

“We have, as I've said many times, already expanded by 10,500 more health care workers operating in the province, working in the province of Ontario, including 6,700 to support hospitals in need, these programs support international health professionals and students, as well as redeploy medical residents and physicians to where they are needed most critically, and that work will continue, and we will ensure that we have a partner in our systems.” 

Vaugeois continued to question the provincial government on healthcare with her supplementary question. 

“This government has created a crisis in healthcare as frustrated nurses leave the field in droves. Frustrated by a two-tier approach to wages, stressful working conditions and the unfair measures of Bill 124. Private agencies such as that owned by former Premier Harris’ partner profit greatly on public dollars while full time nurses are made to suffer,” she said. 

“Will this government remove wage caps and end the health care crisis by ensuring we have full time jobs with benefits instead of temporary and costly agency work?” 

Ontario Government House Leader, Paul Calandra, called Vaugeois’ question an attack on personality and individuals. 

“You know, the more things change, the more they stay the same with the NDP right? It's all about personality, right? Mr. Speaker, so if they can't win an election based on policies and we know that they never can because they've only done it once and we threw them so far out to the curb and never gave them the opportunity ever again,” he said. 

“So what do they do? They start attacking personality and individuals Mr. Speaker that's what the NDP is all about and that's why they go from this, to this, to this, to where the NDP leader can't even bring it to himself to sit in the chair of the opposition leader, he seeks refuge in the middle of his small, tiny caucus.” 

Calandra went on to say that the government will stand up for the workers of the Province of Ontario and for nurses and “will build a better health care system, a better long-term-care system a better education system, a better transportation system will keep the economy moving.” 



Justin Hardy

About the Author: Justin Hardy

Justin Hardy is a reporter born and raised in the Northwest.
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