As a sort of political junkie, I was excited to see the House of Assembly sitting again this morning. In fact, I took the time to watch a live feed of Question Period, in which the Premier and ministers are asked questions by opposition members about issues which concern their constituents.
I was not surprised - but was dismayed - at the blather that came out of health and Wellness minister Randy Delorey's mouth when he was asked a simple question by Queens-Shelburne MLA Kim Masland. Since thousands of her constituents depended on the health services offered at Roseway Hospital and since his department appeared to be setting up the hospital for failure, would he commit, she asked, to keeping Roseway open as a full service operation as long as he remained minister?
Delorey did not even come close to assurances to Masland or the thousdands of us whose lives depend on the services at Roseway. The minister mouthed a series of platitudes about the importance of heath care to his government and said he would do is to "provide health services which is in the best interests of all Nova Scotians."
Translation: if the McNeil government thinks it's in the best interest of his government or the bugetary bottom line, he and Delorey will pull the plug in a heartbeat.
Little comfort for anyone here
Timothy Gillespie is publisher of South Coast Today
