Air ambulance bill a 'public relations exercise,' Northern MPP says

NEWS RELEASE FRANCE GELINAS, MPP NICKEL BELT **************************** NDP Health and Long-Term Care Critic France Gélinas says Bill 11, the Air Ambulance Amendment Act, must be amended if it’s going to protect patients.

NEWS RELEASE

FRANCE GELINAS, MPP

NICKEL BELT

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NDP Health and Long-Term Care Critic France Gélinas says Bill 11, the Air Ambulance Amendment Act, must be amended if it’s going to protect patients.

“This bill, as currently written, will do nothing to improve Ornge or the health-care system in our province,” said the MPP for Nickel Belt. “Ontarians want the assurance that what happened at Ornge will not happen again and the current bill does not have a single provision that would ensure this is the case. We’re going to work hard to get the results patients deserve and we won’t let this bill go forward until we do.”

Bill 11 passed second reading yesterday and was referred to committee for study.

Gélinas said her party will introduce amendments to ensure greater transparency, accountability and quality in Ontario's health-care system.

"Bill 11 fails to provide Ombudsman oversight, the whistleblower protection is weaker than what is already implemented at Ornge, and it does nothing to prevent future scandals at other agencies that are funded by taxpayer dollars," a news release states.

“After years of scandal that have diverted precious health-care dollars from patient care to corporate excess, Ontarians want to see real change. Today, Bill 11 is nothing more than a public relations exercise. We need to see real change to protect patients and we’re going to work for those results,” Gélinas adds.

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