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PAGE1. 10, WE)NESDAY, FBRUARY 18, 1981,WHITBY FREE PRESS Destroying inalienable rights . . . . Davis compromising medicare:Peacock The New Democratic Par- ty's standard-bearer in Durham West has kept one of his campaign promises to make Ontaro s health care system an election issue. Last week, Hugh Peacock attacked the Progressive Conservative Party and the government of Premier Bill Davis saying that they are not committed to the con- cept of universal health care. Peacock claimed that two out of every five medical specialists in this province have opted out of OHIP and that they are being en- couraged to do so by the On- tario Medical Association. The Whitby resident and former MPP for the riding of Windsor West in the 1967 to 1971 Ontario Legislature said that the concept of medicare was introduced by the old CCF government in Saskatchewan during the 1940's. 'Forty years later, the idea is still in jeopardy," he said. "Because - the Davis regime believes that medical care should be for those who can afford it, the government has no com- mitment to medicare," he TYÞEWRIT ERS REPAIRS-& SERVICE ALL MAKES DANFORTH TYPEWRITER' Rentals, Sales&Service* 408 Dundas Street West 2940 Danferth Ave Whit by Toronto 666-11·31 e st 1930 698-2589i added. Peacock said that the par- ty took up a petition of 200,000 names from across the province expressing concern over the state of the health care system. The- provincial governm- ent was not the only body criticized over its role in the medicare system as Peacock shot a few barbs at the federal government who he accused of backing off on their 1966 commitment when they said in the "Health Charter for Canadians" that all people were entitled to comprehensive coverage, universal and uninhibited access to health care and portability between the provinces. "The federal gover- nment's support has been flagging in the past decade," Peacock said. "What we have now is sickness in- surance instead of health care." The lobbyist for the On- tario Federation of Labor also claimed that only three cents out of every medicare dollar goes towards preven- "We seem to be drifting slowly back to the old days when our grandparents were forced to sell a farm or business in order to pay high medical costs for an ailing family member," he con- tinued. "Those of us who favor retention and expan- sion of medicare are alar- med at the prospect." The candidate claimed as well that during the last five years, OHIP premiums have "gone up a staggering 82 per cent." He also criticized the premium assistance program saying that the Ministry of Health admits that "only a very small number of those eligible for assistance actually ask for and get it." Peacock had no kind wor- ds to say about the Ministry of Health's deterrant fee as applied to institutionalized chronic care patients and to those using ambulance ser- vices. "Under the Davis regime, what is essentially a tax on the sick has been in- stituted," he said of the deterrant fee. "Ambulance fees have tripled. All these are financial barriers that deny access to health care system - to one of our inalienable rights." Peacock said that the NDP would go back to the basics of the 1966 plan and would extend it to cover vision care, prescription drugs, dental care and prosthetic devices. "We need no deterrant fees and no premiums," he said. "Total health care fees should be financed from general revenue raised through a progressive tax system." Peacock also called for better geographic distribution of medical per- tonnel, better training and a reduction in hospital cut- backs. NDP candidate