My Page class has been working on a project for the last few days that culminated today in a MOCK DEBATE!
Remember when I said my class divided into a mock government and that I was the chief government whip for the Liberal party? Well, we had to debate a bill presented by one of the Page PCs (the Leader of the mock Opposition) about expanding our trauma centres and allowing people living in Ontario to use OHIP to get medical treatment in the USA (because some Ontario towns are on the border to the USA).
Unfortunately there were 5 school groups touring the Assembly today so we couldn't visit the original chamber room for our debate, we had to do it in our classroom BUT
I got to be the acting Sargeant-At-Arms!!!
I got to wear a jacket with coattails, a bi-corn hat (like a tri-corn hat but only with 2 points), and I got to carry a sword!!! (Good thing it was plastic because I'm a little clumsy and it wouldn't have been good to impale a fellow Page!!!!)
Two of our Page MPPs were having lunch in the Parliamentary Dining Room with their MPPs so I got to parade through the building to the dining room to pick up the Pages while I was dressed as the Sargeant-At-Arms. One of the Constables even stood at attention when I walked past!!!!!!! FUNNY!!!
Then it was time to get down to business.
The great debate!
Here was my argument against the PC bill:
Mr. Speaker,
The Leader of the Opposition has some grand ideas.
Why not have out of country medical expenses covered by OHIP?
Sounds good! While we're at it, why not pack up all of our nurses and doctors and move them to the USA? Why not get rid of Orange and hire American planes to fly our patients around? Why build hospitals here when we can just send everyone to the States?
Are these outrageous statements, Mr. Speaker? Absolutely! But no more outrageous than suggesting we send OUR taxpayers' money to another country to let THEM decide what is the best healthcare for OUR Ontario citizens! To help THEIR centres grow while ours sit empty and crumbling.
I have to wonder if the PCs are familiar with the Auditor General's report on OHIP. Because were they familiar with it, they would know that a key objective is to provide all Ontarians with accessible, high quality healthcare. And we're doing that!
They would also know that in the 2004/2005 fiscal year, OHIP spent 1.9 BILLION DOLLARS on non fee-for-service claims. Mr. Speaker, if we were to invest even a PORTION of that 1.9 BILLION dollars being spent PER YEAR on out of country claims into our OWN health care system, think of the facilities we could build!
Do the PCs realize that for every 1000 people in Ontario there are 97 specialists? That Ontario offers the same number of acute care beds as the USA? Do they realize that we have spent 50 years investing in an exceptional health care service? This bill makes me wonder.
Can we improve, Mr. Speaker Yes! Can we examine turning some of Ontario's abandoned schools into community health care centres easing the strain on emergency rooms? Yes! Can we invest funds to better equip our hospitals? Definitely! Can we support Universities in providing stellar educational opportunities to future doctors and continue Ontario's amazing level of care? We sure can! But ONLY if we invest our resources in OUR OWN PROVINCE!
I can't support this bill, Mr. Speaker because doing so means not supporting my constituents, Ontario residents, or Ontario health care providers.
My Liberal colleagues were very pleased with it! They were shouting "hear!hear!" and banging their desks! Just like a real debate! :)
One Page MPP even got kicked out!
It was fun to be able to act out what we see every day in the Chamber.
---PeyThePEYge
My Liberal colleagues were very pleased with it! They were shouting "hear!hear!" and banging their desks! Just like a real debate! :)
One Page MPP even got kicked out!
It was fun to be able to act out what we see every day in the Chamber.
---PeyThePEYge
No comments:
Post a Comment