Ontario Community Newspapers

Whitby Free Press, 8 Aug 1990, p. 5

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WUTBy F£E pRESS, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8,1990, PAGE 5 A woman sufforing fromkiddney failure tonight lies in the critical care unit at Oshawa Goneral Hospital. She needs dialysis, dosperately. 'Until she gets it, the fluid build-up in ber bd will continue. Already she shows signe of congestive hear failure. Improper or dlayod treatment/oudild be fatal. But she won%' ge the treatment until tomrw, when she will hotranported thirty miles te Sunnybrook Modical Centre. The trip is needed because the dialysis unit promisod twice, now for Oshawa Goneral Hospital bas been delayed aniother six months. *Welcome te the world of politics. On June 25, about 1:.47 p.m., a bandsome gentleman with greying bair stopped for a stop light on Simcoe. Street North in Oshawa. The light changed. What the driver didn'lt see, bis view blocked by other vohicles, was a car headed north on:Simcoe Street tbrough the red light. >His -small imported car,' struck full force at the right front wheel, oended'fifty> feet'up the road. Totalled. The driver sufferod a broken collarbone.. No fault insurance was thon tbree days old., Welcome te the world cf politics. Between -now and the provincial éeoction on Sept. 6, soveral thousand'more people will become directly acquainted with David Petersons version cf no-fault insuranco. Several thousand othor people - somo victims cf those samo automobile accidents - will alse become acquainted first band with tho hèalth care system in Ontarie. Neither group will like wbat they see. But they will oannri_,a sma]l number among the sun-sleeping voters floating on their rubber raft cf indifforence toward the polling booth. Last éeoction, auto insuranoe became an issue. David Peterson 'promised' action and lowor insurance premiums. WITH OUR FEET UP. by Bill Swan Polities We got action. Eventually. And if we didn't get lower premiuxns, we are told our increases will hoe mail, perhaps three or four per cent. What we havent been told -- or what we slept through -- was the cost. I can tell you a bit about the cost, becauso I was-that handgome grey-hairod devil described above. FIrst, you can't sue. Not unless you're dead or seriously and pormnanently injured. You won't know if youre dead, of course, but somoeone will. You aise won't know if you're seriously and pormanently irijured, because you'1l have te, go to court te prove that you are. The resuit? Broken collarbone? Nothing for pain and suffering. Nothing for inconvemience. Nothing for time off work, unless yeu're off fer five days or more. An accident will cost you sick days fr-om work, deplete your long-termn disabiilty plian, put severe limita on what you collect. If you run pur own business a miner accident could close yourdoors. In other words, if you're planning on an auto accident you'd botter have pretty good isurance elsewhere. What your auto insurance used te cover, it doesn't anymore. That doesn't mean, of course, that yeu'll pay bass.' But your premium bike will bo very low, and youUl get a quick cash settiement for your car, and littie more. Sooner or later, you, too, will become involved in the health care system or no-fault insurance. It may be enough to change yoezr politica. It undoubtedly wili be enough to send you into a rage. Welcome to teworld of poltics in Ontario. J-st remember on* Sept. 6 that our h ealth care syste and uto surance are matters of public policy an= =ajrpr of the poitics in this province. Unfortunatelyt how we go about setting the agenda for discussion of these and other'topics isaflotyery efficient. We pay attention to the health care system oely if it affects us directly or when it gots headline,, displa in the news. And that only happons when some human intorest stoy frcues urattention qn the need: a child faces certain death without a transplant, or a donor, or dialysis, or wbatever.. But wvhen that crisis passes, scant attention will be paid te the continuing needs. Hospital beds. Troatment centres. Dialysis units. Emergency beds. Nursing staff. Maybe thats only natural. Because one of the prescriptions for troating the ilînoas of our health care systom touches us ail: money. Money means taxes. If wie want botter health care services we must pay. More taxes. We will not elect a politician on Sept. 6 who promnises te spond bushels more of our money on a bunch of sick pole we dont even lcnow. But by the time soinoone we love becomes one of those sick people it may be too late. Botwoon now and the next provincial election -- in 1993? 1994? 1995? -- the îhrae cf health services, will cost a few dozen, hundrod, thousand people. their lives. One of them might be someone you know. Ain't politics wondorful? Regster early for Durham Colliegie courses The Durhamn College continuous learning fal calendar lisa more than 600 different courses and seminars. -,ý.Calendars are being mailed te students who were enrolled in continuous earnng .,programs .during -, the past three years. Copies xnay -aiso ho obtained at the local library; 'at Durhamn ý,College campuses in Ajax, Oshawa, Port Hope or Uxbridge; or -by calling 416-576-0210, ext. 507 te have one mailed. Registrations for classes that I up quickly (e.g. computer, phbotography) will be accepted in porson, starting Saturday, Aug. 18, 8:30 a.m. te noon, at the main campus in Oshawa, 2000 Simcoe St. N. Telephone registration begins Monday, Aug. 20, 8:30 a.m. te, 8:30 p.m., and continues daily until classes are filled. . Special registration telepixone nunibers are: 416-436-1100 or toll-free 1-800-668-843. Visa and Mastercard accepted. F~or informatienon uu-rnam College continuous learning courses call: 416-576-0210 ext. 507. Trent info session Trent University will offer an information- session. for the hoenefit cf Oshawa-area residents interested in studying on, a part-time basis this fall. The session will ho held Thursday, Aug. 16 frem 4 te 8 p.m.m- the Oshawa Public Library audtiorium on Bagot St. Information on courses, admissions policy and registration will ho available. By studying in Oshawa alone, it is possible te obtain a Trent degree in anthropology, cultural studies, economics, English, history, poitical studios, psychology or sociology. This year more than 35 degree.credit courses will ho offered at Durham College. Each course will meet one evening par week. For more information or te arrange counselling, contact Trent's office at Durham College from 2 te 8 p.m. Monday te Thursday at 416-723-9747'. ~~AMADIEUS~# SEAFOOD and STEAKHOUSE 1180 Simcoe St. N. Oshawa 436-9333 a 436-9065 e Roast Prime Beef (Canada Grade A) New York Steak and Shrimps-- - * Broiled Seafood Plate -n 7 âays3 a week * Banquet Fclties Availal IiiO*v Ff ~ntr ser CALL TODAY FOR A EREE NO OBLIGATION CONSULTATION 723n5211 43217755 666n0770 428O100 420.6300 623S666 345 Slmcoe SL. S. 1251 SImcoe St. N.' 11011Brook St. S. 100 Westney Rd. S. 1450 Kngston Rd. 398 King St. E. Oshawa Oshawa Whitby Transit Square, Ajax Pickering Bowmanville Minimump 30 lb. program Io qualify. -Special offer does flot include cost of exclusive -Nutr/Systém food. Offer valid at participating centres. Offer expires August 18, 1990 TEACH-EEZ DYOURDCATIONAL HELI For Parents & Teaci Teaching Aids & Educational Supplies Pre-Sehool to Grade 8 WHITBY MALL 728-5663 il

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