An invitation to the provincial minister of health to attend a public meeting in Flin Flon has been denied.
Flin Flon MLA Tom Lindsey and Cumberland MLA Doyle Vermette, both members of the NDP, will jointly host a public meeting regarding health care in the area on April 13. Lindsey had requested Kelvin Goertzen, minister of health, seniors and active living, attend the meeting.
“Minister Goertzen has a busy schedule which includes meetings and a speaking engagement the day of the NDP event,” a provincial spokesperson told The Reminder.
Lindsey gave a statement in legislature on March 14 regarding shortages in health care professionals in the north.
“In the north, now, when patients finally do see a doctor, it’s rarely the doctor who saw them last. This revolving door system destabilizes health care, as residents are unable to build relationships of trust and are always starting from scratch. This is not an effective system, and it does not promote better health outcomes for northern families,” Lindsey said.
Lindsey said he has sent two letters Goertzen, and has publicly asked him to attend the April 13 meeting, but has received no response.
“The only way things are going to change here is if the provincial government realizes that the world is different in the north than it is in the south,” said Lindsey, who hopes that the meeting can be a forum for people to bring ideas for doctor retention to the table.
Lindsey said it is important that communities in the north give a consistent voice to the issues they are facing.
“I would hope that it’s not just my voice in the north that’s talking to the province. It should be the communities themselves,” said Lindsey.
“I would hope that mayor and council will be voicing their concerns about the absence of decent health care. Seniors won’t want to stay here if they can’t see a doctor. Will businesses be attracted to a community that doesn’t have the services they need? Probably not. I would hope there are a lot of entities that will put pressure on the provincial government, or perhaps the federal government.”
Lindsey said any concerns or ideas that arise in the meeting will be taken forward for review.
“Bring your ideas, let’s see if we can all work together as a northern community – not just our community, but all of us together – and put a solid voice forward with ideas that we can take to this government.”
The meeting will be held from 7 to 9 pm on Friday, April 13 at the Flin Flon Community Hall.
