Former Ontario Health Ministers pen letter to Provincial government

Ten former Ontario Health Ministers from across the political spectrum are urging the provincial government to reverse its cuts to public-health funding.
In a letter to Health Minister Christine Elliott, the group says when public health funding has been cut in the past, tragedies have occurred.

Speaking on behalf of the group, chair of the Toronto Board of Health, Joe Cressy says the work the public health units do across the province is simply too important to scale back.

Six former Liberal ministers, three NDP’s and one PC have signed the open letter to Health Minister Christine Elliott, imploring her to stop what they call drastic’ cuts.

The PCs plan is expected to include the consolidation of Ontario’s 35 health units to 10, and reducing public health cost sharing with municipalities. The cuts are expected to save the province 200 million dollars by 2022.

Former Liberal Health Minister and Medical Officer of Health Helena Jaczek says in her talks with those on the front line, there is fear and uncertainty.

Health Minister Christine Elliott says the system needs to be changed. The former ministers cite the SARS epidemic that killed 44 people in Toronto and the Walkerton Water E.Coli outbreak as reasons why public health units need funding not cuts.

Elliott adding that the government has been consulting with health experts on the best ways change public health.

The letter says that much of the work public health units do is preventative, adding that preventing outbreaks saves the government money in the long run.