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Sales Represenlate 905-878-8101M ROY3ATL LÉ Milton's Community Newspaper Since 1860 A V-f ý i 4EcA Named Canada's Top Community Newspaper www.miltoncanadianchampon.com R E AL ES T AT E See what's on the market inside S PO0R TS Waples wins Maple Leaf Trot C O M M U N I T Y A journey of discovery A - Mero a. d a puia to o. 150 No 40 Wensdy Ju.. 2,20 36. Pae $. 00incGS CAMPAIGN REACHES GREAT HEIGHTS: Friends Carilo Hoapitacl cocand Overwhelm ing support a! Milon apitacl ca-chir Pete Pameray address the crowd as a banner marking the Nearly 35,000 residents sign petition postcards number of signed postcards is unveiled at the farmers' market ý in groups ongoing push for hospital expansion By Tim Foran CANADIAN CHAMPION STAFF A valunteer group dedicated ta securing provincial approval and funding for an expanded Milton District Hospital says it has collected signatures fram close ta 35,000 people an posticards addressed ta Ontarios Minister of Health. "The incredible enthusiasm in this cam- munity is amaz- ing," said Pete , Pameray, ca-chair of the Friends of Milton Hospital, which started its postcard signing blitz about twa manths aga assist- ed by $25,000 in funding from the Town of Milton. The group is now haping ta deliver the past- cards personally ta the Minister of Health, David Caplan, and it alsa wants ta meet with the Minister of Infrastructure, George Smitherman. The twa ministries are expect- ed ta make final decisions on which of 58 proposed hospital capital projects will get put onto an updated 10-year infrastructure plan, expected ta be released this fall. "We need a hospital (expansion), we need a place tai go that ourselves and aur family feel we're going ta get the care that we need, they (the hospital) have the specialties that wc need, that we can have faith in aur hospi- tai," said Cari Kovachik-MacNeil, ca-chair along with Pomeroy The duo met last Wednesday ta present their case ta Dr. Sacha Bhatia, healthy policy advisor ta Ontario Premier Dalton McGunity Bhatia listened ta the graups concems but advised them they should be working with officiaIs fram the ministries of health and infrastructure and the Mississauga-Halton Local Health Integration Network (LHIN), said Karman Wang, a spokesperson fram the Premier's Office. LHINs are responsible for planning, funding and integrating health care services lacally. "At the end of the day, decisians an which hospi- taIs should get - funding shouldn't be political," said Wang. "They should be based on where the The criteria for assessing that need is what con- cemns Pomeroy and Kovachik-MacNeil. They said at least one criterion the Province will be using is wait rime statiso.ics for hospital emer- gency rooms (ER). In this respect, statistics show Milton District Hospital fares better than most bas- pitals. For the first quarter of this year, the average wait time for a seriaus condition at the hospital ER was just under five hours, a couple hours better than the provincial aver- age and about haîf the time spent by patients at hospitals in Burlington and Mississauga. "ýHaving said that, health care is more than emergency (service)," argued Kovachik-MacNeil. She said patients from esee OTMH on page A9 Noni-Surgical, Drug Froe Proceduro For... Herniated Discs - "Slipped" Discs * Degenerative Discs * Sciatica SpineMVED1 Spinal Disc Ducomprssion is a safe and pain-free procedore designed for back or neck pain and sciatica. Spinal DlewxpressPoný ra is unloading dun o ron-surgKaI disMonand pDtosacr o p * VIififE CGVERED UNDER PNYSIGTHERAPY BENEFITS 17 Wilson Drive. Unit 12. Milton 905-901-2322 l i î l1umý, - Coli lit .% 1