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- MEDIA RELEASE -
- for immediate release -

 

 

Freedom Party of Ontario

 

 

Attn: Newsroom


Private Health Services + Tax Revenues = Ontario Disaster
PC Leader John Tory's Proposal Ineffective, Dangerous


January 19, 2005 - Oshawa, Ontario

The Toronto Star today reported that, in the opinion of Ontario PC party leader John Tory:

"The government should welcome private money into the health-care system, letting companies build private hospitals like the well-known Shouldice Clinic for hernias and let patients pay for care with their OHIP cards..."

Tory's proposed system is known to economists and politicos as "corporatism" or "the third way".

"This proposal for corporatism is naively made, and would be ineffective, if not dangerous", says Freedom Party of Ontario leader, Paul McKeever.

"When a private company is funded by government, it either overcharges the buyer, government, or it is subjected to such strenuous price controls that market forces are forced out of the equation. When the price controls are imposed, and profit margins get thin, the company will always warn government that it will go under unless it can get more market share. Government complies, by handing out exclusive contracts to a smaller number of competitors, thereby short-circuiting the benefits of competition, and preventing newcomers from starting up. At that point, such a company is little more than a government facility in which someone - usually a political party insider - holds title and has a guaranteed cash cow. As in the present system, the quality of patient care, and patient satisfaction, are left out of the equation.

"What is more, once privately owned businesses get on the tax-revenue gravy train, political opposition to the introduction of market forces will only be emboldened. Big, tax-funded, private businesses love exclusive government contracts, not competition. Once on the government teat, they will campaign with fear and money like no political party ever could dream of doing. Tory's proposal is a monster waiting to hatch.

"If you want to see John Tory's idea of "private" health care, just look at the cable television business. No competitors, paying for channels you do not want, and not getting channels you do want. Hint hint.

"Privately owned services without competition in health plans or health insurance are a huge mistake. Ontario needs competition for OHIP in addition to competition for the provision of health care services. It is time to stop forcing Ontarians to pay for healthcare with taxes. It is time to give them a choice of health care plans. Let Ontarians choose, and the result will be a sustainable, affordable system that makes patient satisfaction job one."


" Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the merger of state and corporate power." - Benito Mussolini.


This media release has been sent to all major print, radio, and television media, and to all Ontario MPPs.

For further information, contact Freedom Party of Ontario's leader, Paul McKeever:

Office: 905-721-9772
Cell: ***-***-****
e-mail

 

Freedom Party of Ontario
240 Commissioners Road West
London, Ontario N6A 4E3
1-(800)-830-3301 / (519) 681-3999
FAX: (519) 681-2857

freedomparty.on.ca