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lül 1 : Si ■* ■ - mtS v w' : ,- À H PAGE 6 ♦ THE CANADIAN STATESMAN ♦ July 27,2005 Tim Whittaker Publisher Joanne Burghardt Editor-In-Chief Chris Bovie Managing Editor Fred Eismont Director of Advertising Eddie Kolodziejcak Classified Advertising Manager Kirk qailey Distribution Manager Lillian Hook Office Manager Janice O'Neil, Cheryl Haines Composing Managers Sfjc Cmtatrian Statesman Opinion I JULY 27, 2005 Clarinntnn'e Award-Winnina Newsoaoer Since 1854 durhamregion.com Phone 905-579-4400 Classifieds 905-576-9335 Distribution 905-579-4407 General Fax 905-579-2236 Newsroom Fax 905-579-1806 E-Mail newsroom@durhamregion.com 865 Farewell St., Oshawa ON L1H 7L5 Publications Mail Registration No. 07637 infodurhamregion.com ,F EDITORIAL e-mail letters to ncwsroom@durhamregion.com Finding efficiencies necessary Lakeridge, Rouge Valley on right track with shared VPs A bedside manner, quality care and the best health professionals have long been the cornerstones of Ontario hospitals. Just as much of a reality in this new health care delivery world, however, is the need for creativity. creativity. With every dollar and every cent counting against mounting bills, there's never been more need to be creative than now. That was part of the thinking behind the decision just over six months ago by Lakeridge Health Corporation and Rouge Valley Health System to introduce two shared vice-president positions to oversee the two organizations' six health sites. With the trial period now over, it would seem by all accounts that the test has been a solid success. Lakeridge and Rouge Valley recently announced the positions are being made permanent, permanent, with a number of expected expected benefits and commonalities achieved, and a few unexpected surprises as well. Through the partnership, the two were able to save on administrative. administrative. costs, share key data and information, and Lakeridge is helping Rouge Valley with its move; to" a health information ï management, system:: That assistance on the new system system is expected to . save Rouge Valley $3 million. So, patients, visitors to the hos pital sites and the public in general general have benefited already by the move to share VPs, and that's just the beginning. Going forward, officials believe making the positions permanent means the collaboration should help in the retention of staff, will help with the attraction of key medical personnel and will lead to other efficiencies. It also comes at a time where the Province is rolling out its new Local Health Integration . . Networks and the 'two heads are better than one' theory will certainly help with some of the unfamiliarity and uncertainty that is coming with the new networks. networks. All that said, the pilot project didn't go off without any concerns. concerns. In a survey of staff at both organizations, some issue was taken with the sometimes lack of accessibility to the vice-presidents. vice-presidents. The hospitals hope by realigning realigning support staff, however, they will allay some of the concerns. Certainly, the sharing of VPs isn't going to cure what ails Rouge Valley's or Lakeridge's financial sheets. In fact, it will only make a small dent. But, it's key all hospitals continue continue to explore every potential avenue for potential savings. Because, short of the Province (and federal government) finally admitting some form o_f private-. ,. ; : '.sector partnerships', are . needed: if. we are to save ourcore- public - health system, these are the types of savings that must be found to chip away at the mounting costs. CLICK AND SAY k : Today's question; Should the Province > mandate that life-jackefi must be worn in all * watercraft? Z w doJighan.com LETTERS TO THE EDITOR c-mail letters to ncwsroom@durhamregimi.com BACKWARD GLANCE Bicycle race, c. 1896 Photo supplied by Clarington Museums and Archives A bicycle race from Bowmanville to Newcastle in 1896, showing the north side of King Street West. Officer writes of policing challenges To the editor: Re: Two-year probe into drug Tun tends, no charges, July 13. It is finally time to firmly put this sjtuation in the past. Policing is a dangerous occupa- tion. ' ) :.., As. police officers, we : are: sup- : -posed to bring about calm-and order when summoned to deal with irrational and abnormal behaviour. . We are tasked with combating deviance and crime, while We are bound to operate within rules mandating courtesy and respect. We are expected to be all things to all people and operate under a microscope at all times. We see people at their very worst. We most often get involved only when something, has gone terribly wrong. Our profession receives the highest of. scrutiny, and criticism. Everyone knows our three-digit phone number (911), as we are expected to take charge and immediately solve the widest ranging of problems. Very often, we then "get it" from both sides. No matter what we do, somebody, somebody, is going to be angry and hold us in contempt. Having said all this, no one said this job was going to be easy. ■ I have never met an officer who joined policing to become rich or famous. •We certainly didn't embark on . a policing career to become'infamous. become'infamous. We became police officers to participate in a most honourable honourable profession and to try and do the right thing. : I wish the good folks of Durham would take a moment to consider what their police officers deal with on a daily basis and tolerate throughout their careers. I would hope that when people see or deal with a member of the. Durham Regional Police Service, they will share a smile, a wink or a wave of support. Please let that police officer (and/or civilian member) know that they are appreciated for what they do and what they are endeavouring to accomplish: Tom Andrews Pickering Government not helping with autistic child To the editor: Re: Liberals must expand autism therapy: Parents, July.22. My sons'and I were at the rally on Monday because so many people are under the impression that government money is spent making special needs services available to those that need them; well, that is not always the case." My son James is 11 and he is still not receiving any help for his autism and it looks like he never will. The health-care system just dumped his diagnosis on us and left us to deal with it. We applied for special services at home, but were turned down; too many children. When James wasn't learning at the pace of his peers the school system used the excuse that he has autism - "but we just don't have the resources to give him as much help as he needs." His autism, however, didn't stop them from suspending him from school or from receiving extra funds to educate him. I now home-school James after spending 5 1/2 months in his school proving he is capable with help by his side. They should be ashamed of themselves, but unfortunately, I'm sure they sleep just fine! We, however, are very familiar with tear-stained pillows. Debbie Muise Bowmanville Baby saved because of abortion protest To the editor: Re: Shock protest not effective, Ian Dewell letter, July 22. Jan Dewell wrote that the information information campaign. on abortion that, lined.ddwy. 2 was "neglir gible, licentious, and insulting Imagery. . . Neither myself, my kids, nor my community benefits from . this form of invective." I wholeheartedly wholeheartedly disagree. For the second year my family stood in the heat.to help parents parents make informed decisions on abortion of their offspring. Last year one mother saw these pictures of aborted babies and made a decision'to keep her baby from having to die this way. One baby lives today because of our efforts, I say our community has benefited benefited from not white-washing ■abortion.' Thank you to the "Show the Truth" team. Carolyn Neuman Bowmanville LETTERS We welcome letters that include name, city of residence and phone numbers for verification. Writers are generally limited to 200 words and one submission submission in 30 days. We decline announcements, poetry, open letters, consumer complaints, congratulations and thank you notes. The editor reserves the right to edit copy for length, style and clarity. The newspaper newspaper contacts only those people people whose submissions have been chosen for publication. FAX: 905-579-1809;- E-MAIL: Newsroom® durhamregion. com. Lockout changes make NHL better It was certainly nice to get some cool news last week amidst the hottest days of the summer. The announcement, of course, was the ratification of the National Hockey League Collective Collective Bargaining Agreement last Friday. . Finally, after 310 days of bickering, bickering, we have hockey again. As a lifelong fan of the game, 1 quickly got bored of the year-long bickering between billionaire owners and millionaire players. This thousandairc just wanted these spoiled rich kids to kiss, make up and drop the puck. And now that a deal ensures labour peace between players and owners for, oh, at least four , or five years, wc can get down to watching what for most of us, is Tim Kelly the greatest sport in the world. Maybe, just maybe, with all the new rules changes, the NHL will be worth watching during the regular season, It's always been a treat in the playoffs, but the league's problem problem has been with sustaining interest over its 82-game marathon. marathon. The decision to adopt a shoot out ensures some drama at the end of a tic game and at least provides a winner and loser for evciy single contest. I also like the elimination of the red line to allow long, breakout two-line passes, the tag-up rule reinslitution for offsides, and the reduction in size of goalie equipment. equipment. Two things, above all others, have me salivating at the prospect prospect of a brand new season. . The NHL says that, finally, once and for all, it will crack down severely on clutching and grabbing. If the league keeps its word, that means budding superstars like Sidney Crosby will get the chance to show us just how talented talented they really arc. For too long, NHL play has been mired in a neutral-zone morass that made the players look more like wrestlers on skates than high-flying athletes. If the referees call the game by the rule book, those days should be over.. . It will also be exciting to sec how general managers and coaches deal with the enormous changes to team rosters. With a firm salary cap in place . and hundreds of free agents on the loose, teams will barely resemble the clubs they were at the close of play in 2004. That means this truly will be a new NHL, one that will offer more surprises, excitement and entertainment. If the whole purpose of the Cast your vote online ate infodurhamregion.com; Last week's question: Are you taking extra measures to conserve electricity and water right now? No 28.4% Yes 71.6% Votes cast: 215 HAVE YOUR SAY;! . i _ J Are you excited that NHL k ; hockey will be coming back this season? ! j Steve Vanderherberg ; * "Yes, because my friends * | and I like the excitement in ' Toronto John Rankin "Definitely, getting together !tl with friends and watching thejj; Leafs is an all-time favourite. 1 '; 1 Bryan Brant I "Yes, .we all like hockey and ]jl . we missed it last year,". 'j: senseless lockout was to change the game - economically and competitively -- it looks like it may have worked. There will be far less space in the new deal between have and have-not franchises. Now, instead of the size of your owner's wallet determining how well your team docs, it will be the amount of hockey sense of your chib's general manager which will decide how well the squad docs. The league has changed, and for the better. 1 can hardly wait until they hit the ice for opening night, Oct, 5. Copy editor Tim Kelly's column ' appears every oilier Wednesday. E-mail lkelly@durhamregion. com. Rachel Petrusma "Yes, because I really enjoy watching them and most of the people in our family get , excited about it and.it's really fun to watch." The Canadian Statesman is one of the Metroland Printing Publishing and Distributing | group of newspapers. The 1 Statesman is a member of the Bowmanville Clarington Board of Trade, the Greater' Oshawa Chamber of Commerce, Commerce, Ontario Community Newspaper Assoc., Canadian Canadian Community Newspaper Assoc., Canadian Circulations Circulations Audit Board and the Ontario Press Council. The publisher reserves the right J to classify or refuse any advertisement. Credit for ad-ij vertisement limited to space'-* price error occupies. Editorial and Advertising content of the Canadian Statesman is !; copyrighted. Unauthorized rej- production Is prohibited. !j J Aocnafmni (*qia ék Wlwn min»