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Page 24, Whitby Free Press, Wednesday, September 21, 1994 Narcotics hage adagaistIenrstdn A 15-year-old Henry Street Hih School student was charged wit possession of a narcotie Thursdaiy. Police say Henry principal Ed Grant was told the student had the drug. The Rutledge Street youth con- fessed and handed over a fimal arnount of hash oil when confron- ted by Grant. Police were called and the youth was charged and released on a promise to appear i Osh- awa court Oct. 11. ..THE.HOS..ITAL Hospital. issuie politicized, says board chair By Mke Kowalski The issue of Whitby General Hospital's uncertain future role has becorne "too politicized," hos- pitai board chair Jim Souch charges. As a resuit, opponents of a proposai to convert the hospital into a rehabihitation treatment centre couid be doing their cause more harmn than good, Souch warns. "I hated to see this go political, but that's exactly what's happen- ing," Souch said in explaining his reasons for not attending last Thursday's rally at Heydenshore Pavilion (see separate story). "If they (Whitby residents) don't start supporting the hospI- tai, they're playing right into the hands of the (health) ministry,» he said. Souch had been listed as one of the speakers to addÉess the raliy s ponsored by the Save Our GeneralHospital (SOGH) citi- zens' group. 1But due to a misunderstand- ing, raliy organizers assumed ho would attend Souch said. «When YJÂne Prout (S00H co-chair) originaily approached me I said I had no qualms, but that I couldn't speak without board approval,» he said. "When we were informed that the Ministry of Heaith and heaith council would not be there, we decided to pass. We didn't want to be in conflict with them.", (The Durham Region District Health Council and the ministry wiil eventually determine the fate of the 25-year-old hospital.) However, SOGR listec Souch as one of the speakers in a press release issued prior to the rally. "There. was a bit of a screw- up,» Souch admitted. "When we talked to Ruth Grier's office they said they wouid te sending a person who wouid net taik about Whitby Generai Hospital or the acute care study, just ministry poiicy ingeneral,,"ho expiained. F or th at reason, the board stood by its original decision not te formaily attend, Souch said. "I tried te persuade JoAnne Prout te pestpene the meeting until after the -report (steering committee recemmendation) goes in," ho said. SOGH co-chair Prout. is nion-commital' on- council rain By Mke Kowalski The head of a citizens' commit- tee fighting a preposed rele change for Witby General Hos- pi-taîhas denied using the issue fer personal political gain. sashrinvolvement with the cemmittee shouid net te miscon- However Prout refuses te rule eut that shie wiil challenge in- cumbent east ward councillor Dennis Fox on Nov. 14. uThis is net the kickof te a campaign for me,» Prout flatly teld reporters following Thurs- day's SOGH rally at Heyden- shore Pavilion (see separate stery). «I would net use this for my own purposes,» she said in rejeat- ing rumeurs that an announce- ment of her candidacy was im- minent. But Prout, a former Durham Sseparate school board trustee, was non-committal when asked if she will in fact run for council. "That's net something rm pro- pared te comment on,' said the east ward resident. "My political aspirations are net what this is about.» Prier te the raily, The Free press was teld that during a SOGH meeting earlier in the week, Prout informed the cern- mittee of her intention te chal- lenge Fox. But Prout denied making the aileged statement. «They (cemmittee) rnay draft me ... (but) I noever said that,» she insisted. Yet Prout admitted she is ukeeping her options open" des- pite previously telling Town council and The Free Prose that she had ne political ambitions. "That's realistically right, that's how I foît at the time (earlier this summer),» she said. However, "a lot of people" have encouraged her te reconsider, Prout said. * fo h «It was suspected rith time I teok _hs ostion that I was running feroffice,» she sad. "Because I was vocal in the community it was autematically assumed I weuld run.» But peopîe would te «wroeg in assuming hier motivation fer leading SOGH's campaign te pro- serve acute care services at Whitby Generai is for persona] reasens, Prout reiterated. Her explanation notwithstand- ing the motives of SOGH mem- br's were questiened by Fox and feilow councillor Marcel Brunelie. The two were incensed after being attacked by Dr. Ken Hobbs, one of the raliy's speak- ers. Hobbs, a former hospital board chair, -accused the counciliors of being silent on the proposed changes te Whitby General. Fox, w ho is seeking re-election, represents Town council on the hospital board of directors. Brunelle, Who is .aise running, is Durham Region's representa- tive on the teard,, as well as a member of the Durham Region District Health Council. During his remarks, in -which ho aise, lambasted the Ontario government, Durham Centre MPP Drummond White, hospitai adlministration and Whitby 'dec- tors (for net staffling the 'hospi- tal's emergency dep artment), Hobbs accused the counciliors of neglecting their board duties. «How many times has council- 1er Fox attended board meetings and how maui times has council- lor Brunelle? asked Hobbs. "If they can prove it before an election, we should vote for them,» ho said. . "If not, we sheuld look else- where.» Fox, who was standing at the back of the auditorium, tried te, interrupt Hobbs, but when the latter refused te acknowledge hixn, both ho and Bruneile ster- med te the platformn foilowing Hobbs' speech. Meeting moderator Dirk Langerak initially refused te lot the two speak, but was overruled by Prout. "Irm not sure what this is al about tonight,» said Fox. in roc- pense te Hobbs' criticism. «r've worked hard for this cern- munity and feel I've dene à good- job,» hoe said, "and the actions of council speaks for itself'» Fox noted that Town ceuncil calied upon the health council te extend the date for replying te the consultant's reommenda- tiens and that it opposed a change in Whitby General's sta- tue. "I'm here because I care about the hospital, I'm on yeur side," said Fox. "But from some of the comn- mente I've heard tenight, it seems this meeting is about poli- tics.» Brunelie said ho did not want te "defend" his actions as either a hospital board or health ceuncil member. "'You're concerned about Whitby General Hespital and se amn I," said Brunelle, while reminding everyene that ho will have a vote on whether the consultan t's report is accepted. "It deesn't serve the hospital or the community to criticize each other or point fingers," hoe said. "That's politics and that's not what this is ail about.» Declaring that Whitby General has a "geat future as a general hospital," Brunelle promised te work towards that end. "But that last thing we need in this cominunity is te te attacking each other.» After the meeting, Brunelle and Fox had diff iculty contreiling their anger. "The whole council was assured there was ne politicai agenda,» said Brunelle, in refer- ring te a presentatien Prout made tefore *Town council in June. "That's Why esupperted them (SOGH). Unfortunately, tee, many ef their members are run- ning for office." (SOGH activists Gerry Emm and Shirley Scott are both seek- ing. election on Nov. 14.) Fex sh ared Brunelle's senti- ments. "I don't deny anyone the right te run,» hoe said, "but it's brought politics into this greup.» 4Thon if it's not favourable, to raise heul." Souch stressed that the board is not «at odds" with S00H, but disagrees with, the timing. «Last night's (Thursday) meet- ing won't influence the report one bit ... we probabiy will need help down the road.» 'e board issued its own press release on Thursday (see state- ment) te outline its reasons for not "activeiy participating» in the railly. The release reiterated the board's previous «conditional* support" for the consultant's recommendations, provided that out-patient acute care services are retained. While the board is «'pleased" that the health council report has provoked community- in- veivement, it dlaims SOGH's campaign is upotentiaiiy damag- Louch explained that "some- times» Prout does not "ciearly speil out" the board's response to tie acutecare study. "We're saying lots of things, not just the reliab centre. Our big thrust is te reain the ser- vices we got now,» hie said. «We do have a. problem with emergency, no question, but we wantte p day surgery and ambulatory care, that's the con- dition of our support.» Claiming that Whitby General has been "dumped on" by succes- sive provincial governments for 25 years, Souch said a rehabili- tation centre will reverse this attitude. "I look at it as that finally we can performi a service for the regi on and still provide most of whgat we've ot." Souch sai one way of ehp swaying the government s thir&- ing js greater use of existing services. ««Our acute care and emer- geny is dropping off. Whitbv residents are just not using it,' hle said. "Perhaps they should change the name from 'save our hospital'ý te, 'support our hospital.' i v Board mintains' status quo is f0 longer an option The following statement to local media was issued by the boaird of the Whitby General Hospital before the Sept. 15 public meeting held by Save Our General HospitaL The board of directors of the Whitby General Hospital wishes to make public its position regarding the Sept. l5 rally, organized by the Save Our General Hospital (SOGH) community group. At the outeet of the public consultation process relating to the Durhami Region acute care study in June of this year, it was made very clear to the public that restructuring of the hospital systemn in Durham Region needs to'take place. The Durham Region District Health Council's 'acute care study steering comrittee invited public comment on the recommendations between June 1 and Aug. 1 to which came a moderately successful public response. During that time period the hospitail board presented its response to the district health council acute care steering committee and the public at a forum hosted by the mayor of Whitby on July -21. For this reason the hospital will flot be actively participating in the Sept. 15 rally. The board stnds firrn in its conditional support for the recommend ations of the DHC's acute care steering committee suggesting a primary role in rehabilitation with the preservation of out-patient acute care services at the hospital, and maintains that due to a severe funding probiem in health care throughout the province, the status que can no longer be an option. SUntil a decision is made by the Ministry of Health to approve the plan put forward by the DHC steering committee, and until a cemprehensive inplementation plan is developed and executed, we remain a general hospital with ail the needs of a general hospital including outgoing financial contributions froni the community. We are pleased that some community involvement has developed as a result of the acute care study. But the information provided to the public by the SOGH campaign is potentially damaging. Failure of this community to recognize the need for a change in the role of this hospital could place its long-term viability in jeopardy. That would indeed be regrettable. We look forward to proceeding with much needed change and will continue te be guided by our goals to maintain a hospital in Whitby, to provide high quaiity health care services te the residents of the community and to provide secure employment for our staff. We are confident that we have the means to, achieve these goals and we are hopeful that the.community, încluding SOGI-I, will remain supportive of the hospital throughout the process.