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The MHA for the District of Grand Bank, Judy Foote, is
calling on the Premier to keep his commitment to the people of
the District of Grand Bank and provide the funding necessary to
complete the new health care facility partially built in Grand
Bank.
"Premier Williams was adamant that the Prime Minister
live up to the commitment he gave to him during the last federal election,"
said Foote. "In fact, the Premier called on all Newfoundlanders and
Labradorians to support him in his efforts to acquire the best possible deal
he could get for our province. The people of the District of Grand Bank did
just that because they believe, as I do, that when a promise is made it
should be kept. The result was that a minimum of $2 Billion will flow to our
province under the new revenue sharing agreement for the offshore.
"In addition, the Government of Canada has given our
province approximately $40 million a year in additional revenues for health
care. It comes to the province from the federal government’s new Ten Year
Plan to Strengthen Health Care. This is a significant amount of new money
and should be spent on improvements to health care in all areas of the
province.
"Premier Williams must realize that those to whom he
made promises during the last provincial election find it difficult to
accept that he would expect the Prime Minister to honour his commitments,
but not extend the same courtesy himself to the people he represents as
Premier. The Prime Minister has shown himself to be a man who keeps his word
and I ask Premier Williams to do the same.
"The decision to proceed with a new health care
facility in the District of Grand Bank was taken after thorough analysis by
those in positions to determine the need. The need to replace Blue Crest
Seniors Home and the old cottage hospital, the only one remaining in the
province, and put both under one roof is obvious to all who live, visit and
work in both facilities. The decision not to proceed with the facility, on
which $3 million has been spent, has left those concerned wondering why the
government would take such action when the need for it has been shown.
Certainly the financial argument can’t be taken seriously now with the
additional money flowing from the federal government for improvements to
health care in the province. This money is in addition to the billions that
will flow to the province from the new revenue sharing agreement for the
offshore and the additional money that will come to the province as a result
of an improved equalization program from which the province benefits.
"It is time for Premier Williams to do as the Prime
Minister did and keep his promise. He gave this promise three times during
the provincial election. His words were: "The health care facility was
started in Grand Bank and it will finish in Grand Bank".
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