HEALTH CARE ON THE ROPES

They are cutting funds for libraries.

And they have told every ministry in the government to cut 15% from their spending.

"They" are the minions of Gordon Campbell.

And now we learn the full force of (Or do we? Perhaps much more is to come.) their cuts to health care and medical services.

"The Vancouver Coastal Health Authority is planning to shut down nearly one-quarter of its operating rooms and cancel thousands of elective surgeries between Sept. 1 and March 31 in a bid to bridge a $90-million budget gap, NDP health critic Adrian Dix charged yesterday.?

Among the targeted procedures...wait for it...coronary bypasses.

That's right, heart bypasses.

This is "elective" surgery?

Open heart surgery is the same as putting collagen in your lips?

But, wait. This gets better.

Let's make a connection that at first blush seems unlikely, nay, impossible.

"Last month, health authority officials announced plans to save about $600,000 by postponing one-third of scheduled surgeries during the 2010 Olympics and this year's extended two-week spring break.

Likewise, the Fraser Health Authority, facing a $130-million deficit, announced it will “postpone” 2,000 elective surgeries over a four-week period during the Olympics."

Am I understanding this correctly?

We are making medical decisions based on somethingorother about the Olympic Games???

I emphasize the word Games.

A show of some kind is going on downtown so you stop providing health care? Huh?

In the old tradition that "all things are political," we learn as well that "the government ordered health authorities to withhold their 2009-10 service plans until May 13, the day after the provincial election."

Nice.

And yet...and yet...this administration, with its clear and present priorities - Games over Care - this gang was re-elected to office.

Please try to stay awake and pay attention, folks.

It may be you or your mom who needs that coronary bypass during the luge run-offs.

Maybe one of the OR nurses could hold the Flame aloft to shine some light on the matter.