In rural Ontario where health-care is hurting, voters decry PC candidates missing debates

Residents of Walkerton, Ontario, are once again putting health care at the forefront of their minds as they prepare to participate in a provincial election in just eight days. This comes on the heels of a recent event where hundreds of people braved the cold to secure a family doctor. To address the pressing issue of health care access in the region, candidates from the Green, NDP, and Liberal parties have confirmed their attendance at an all-candidates debate at Victoria Jubilee Hall.

However, incumbent Huron-Bruce PC candidate Lisa Thompson has informed organizers that she will not be able to attend the debate due to other campaign commitments. This absence has raised concerns among voters in a region where access to health care is a top priority. Brenda Scott, who is moderating the meeting, expressed disappointment at the lack of representation from the PC party and emphasized the importance of hearing from government officials about their plans to address the healthcare challenges facing rural communities.

The issue of healthcare access was also highlighted in the neighboring riding of Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound, where PC candidate Paul Vickers missed an all-candidates meeting organized by the Grey-Bruce Health Coalition in Durham. The community has been grappling with the relocation of in-patient beds from the local hospital to facilities in Walkerton and Kincardine. Jana White, who helped organize the meeting, expressed frustration at Vickers’ absence, noting that the discussion centered around healthcare and the community’s concerns about the future of their hospital.

Both White and Scott underscored the significance of healthcare access in rural areas, where limited emergency room hours and long distances to alternative healthcare facilities pose challenges for residents, especially the elderly population. The lack of representation from the PC party at these critical discussions has raised questions about their commitment to addressing healthcare issues in rural Ontario.

Nick McGregor, the NDP candidate in Huron-Bruce, has been vocal about recent emergency department closures in Clinton and Wingham due to staffing shortages. He criticized the PC party for failing to engage in discussions about healthcare at all-candidates meetings, suggesting that they are avoiding scrutiny of their record in this area.

Despite being traditional PC strongholds, both Huron-Bruce and Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound are witnessing a shift in voter sentiment as healthcare emerges as a key election issue. As candidates prepare to engage with voters in the final days leading up to the election, the spotlight remains on healthcare access and the need for concrete solutions to address the challenges facing rural communities.