OP/ED: Leggett pens open letter to premier re: health cuts
By Rob Leggett
Shame on you Mr. Gordon Campbell!
Our children and those who are sick are being pushed to the side because you are unable to see anything outside of your Olympic blinders. You have failed the people of the province whom you are supposed to be serving, and for that you should be ashamed.
My hospital is struggling and people are being made to wait for much-needed surgeries because of a lack of money; my children’s schools are being threatened with closure because the board of education is unable to balance their budget … and you still see fit to spend billions on a two-week party that will benefit a very few.
The Olympics are, of course, an incredible opportunity for the participating athletes to showcase their lifetime dedication to the sport of their choice, and the select few who were able to purchase tickets or get free ones from the Friends of Campbell Group must be in awe at the level of competition. But I do not believe that B.C. was ready to host such an expensive event, given our current state of affairs.
You seem to lack an ability to understand the needs of the people, such as quality education, adequate housing and investment in our health care services and professionals. We do not need entertainment…we can provide that ourselves.
Surgeons, anesthetists and specialized OR nurses are warning the public of the drastic cuts forthcoming to the regional hospital, the school board is looking at closing schools as a possible solution for saving money and yet I witnessed truckload after truckload, helicopter after helicopter, shipping snow to Cypress – at what expense?
You have left your legacy on this province, but will it be remembered in a positive light? Will you be able to justify to my children, why you mortgaged their future; their education, their health services, for the sake of a sporting event?
Shame on you Mr. Gordon Campbell, for being so blind and self-involved that you ignore the needs of the many to satisfy your own reckless desires.
I urge everyone to speak out about the drastic cuts at KBRH, write your MLA Katrine Conroy, Katrine.conroy.mla@leg.bc.ca and especially Gordon Campbell premier@gov.bc.ca
or via traditional mail at:
The Honourable Gordon Campbell
Premier of British Columbia
Box 9041
Station PROV GOVT
Victoria, BC
Canada
Tell them this is not acceptable.
