On cutbacks: Is it fair to compare Dalton McGuinty with Mike Harris?

Remember Peterborough Regional Health Centre? They were effectively ordered by the provincial government to cut costs. The result -- 283 hospital jobs (182.3 full time equivalent positions) are being cut, right this minute.

Health Minister Deb Matthews has claimed that hospital cuts aren't so bad because there is so much more community care.

But the Community Care Access Centre (CCAC) that oversees home care services in Peterborough is in a similar predicament as the hospital. The CCAC is now reported to have fallen $14 million into deficit over the last two years -- and so it too is cutting costs, right this minute.

(Of course, they say they are cutting costs without cutting home care programs and services. Just like the McGuinty government says it is doing in hospitals. With probably the same degree of accuracy.)

The Mike Harris government professed that hospital cuts would be made up by more care in the community. I don't think it is any more true now than it was then.

dallan@cupe.ca

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