Who gets to comment on our health care system?

The local paper noted the recent Canadian Medical Association report on medicare ("Voices into Action") quoted our local Conservative MPP in reaction, and mentioned that the paper had contacted a Liberal candidate but been advised she wasn't able to comment by press time. Period. No mention of the NDP or any other party. So I issued this press release earlier today, hoping to add to the discussion about a crucial Canadian institution. The doctors' report apparently opens the door for more privatization, and it suits the Conservatives to play up a "crisis" in medicare, trying to persuade people that it's unsustainable in its current form when trusted experts say it very much is sustainable.

I have also written to the editor of the paper insisting on fair treatment of all parties.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Newmarket- Aurora NDP Provincial Constituency Association
Robin Wardlaw – NDP Candidate for Newmarket- Aurora
August 11, 2011

Newmarket: The ‘Voices into Action’ report, in my opinion provides important and timely insights into why we must protect our not for profit, universally funded health care system. Now is the time to make a strong commitment to the Canada Health Accord," according to Robin Wardlaw, NDP candidate for Newmarket-Aurora who has not yet read the full report.
"We must act now to ensure that children, elderly and the Newmarket-Aurora community continue to have access to not-for-profit health care services. Now is the time to strengthen and to continue investing in an affordable health care system for all and to stand up to supporting a single-tiered health care system. In our community we must invest in equitable services that serve all," Wardlaw added. "Now is not the time to talk about health care alternatives especially as we recover from same party who put the system into crisis with their cuts to nursing positions in the 90s, their handing over of key functions to the private sector, and their tax cuts."
Wardlaw’s question to Conservatives is how they would address concerns about medicare while continuing their policy of lowering government’s ability to respond. "The Liberals seem to have caught the bug of reducing corporate taxes from the Conservatives," Wardlaw said, "leaving their hands tied."
Publicly funded dental hygiene for all Ontarians, for example, would quickly pay for itself with reduced heart disease and other ailments. "This would be a long term investment with a high rate of return," according to Wardlaw. At the same time, he acknowledges that not all of the solution is simply spending more. "We need to be more clever with our money, too." "And a public system can certainly put people first, reducing gaps and delays when a person goes from one provider to another."
The New Democratic platform contains some important and timely ideas to improve service, and increase efficiency in the health care Ontarians have come to value so highly, such as adding one million hours of home care, cutting ER wait times and giving everyone access to a family doctor.
"I’m worried that the Conservatives will sound like champions of public health care during an election, then find ways to privatize and chop it if they form government. They will target unionized workers and seek to cut wages, benefits and pensions, driving morale for health care workers lower. This is not what people want, as the CMA report clearly shows," he said.