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st the tribune tuesday november 18 1997 p3 munro backs legislation to repay parents joan ransberry staff reporter parents hit with extra child care costs linked to the recent teach ers strike will be able to recover up to 40aday if legislation introduced yesterday at queens park gets approved durhamyork mpp julia munro is backing the new legisla tion which was presented by labour minister and whitby mpp jim flaherty the actions of the teachers union created many unfortunate difficulties for ontarios working families said flaherty the fairness for parents and employees act stipulates that a payment of up to 40a day per household for each day the schools were closed is be made available to parents as well the act offers protec tion from dismissal or discipline for employees who were unable to work because of childcare responsibility during the strike the act also gives protection from reprisals by teachers unions against teachers who refused to participate in or support the provincewide strike we are taking these measures to protect the rights and interests of parents and employees who were adversely affected by cir cumstances well beyond their control said the labour minister application forms for the money will be available at area schools and at local board of edu cation office if the legislation passes the deadline to submit applications will be announced soon m w trailblazers marten gushing and bigger brother jeremy cut through a snowdrift while delivering the tribune on friday afternoon plihto by steve somerville better hurry not your average igloo construction of this new house at the corner of william and harold streets continues on no matter what the weather here bill hughes gord hamilton bob hughes in the base ment and justin howell hauling lumber of hughes brothers construction work diligently amidst snow banks and a light snowfall friday afternoon pjwtii by steve somerville health officials fear worst jennifer brown metroland staff york region health officials are fearing the worst when the provin cial panel that closed 10 toronto hospitals last winter unveils its restructuring recommendations for hospitals in the 905 area code on tuesday although it is unlikely the health services restructuring commis sion will suggest hospital closures in york there is speculation the regions three hospitals could lose millions in funding and be told to amalgamate their administrations the commission will present its report on york durham and peei regions in mississauga aftr months of consultation but the gta905 health care alliance a group representing the 16 hospitals suspects the commit tee entrusted to restructure health care in ontario wont recognize the desperate need for growth funding gta residents who live outside toronto receive the lowest health care funding per person in the province for every dollar spent elsewhere in ontario 905 commu nities receive only 70 cents according to the alliance rapid growth in the communities it repre sents is primarily responsible for the gap in funding and service in york region hospitals have sustained cutbacks of 6 million during the last two years meanwhile the regions popula tion will grow 3 1 per cent by 2003 taking the population to 833000 up from 633773 in 1995 when the health review was announced in april many health officials believed the study would lead to increasing funding but jim armstrong executive director of the 905 hospital alliance is unsure the restructuring commission will acknowledge the need for more money our big concern is that they rec ognize our unique highgrowth sit uation so we will have equitable access to health care said arm strong we are really concerned about whether theyve heard that message loud and clear thats the big ques tion york county hospital president dan carricrc suggests the commis sion will recommend a funding cut because the financial figures used in the analysis are two years old carricrc said hospitals could lose between 3 million to 6 million money the ministry of health pro vided during the past two years to address yorks growth it could negate all the gains weve made with growth funding carricrc said further to the fear of lost dollars is the threat the commission will tell york hospitals to amalgamate their boards of directors and upper management but armstrong doesnt believe the commission would go that far people are wondering if theyre looking at consolidation of admin istration and governance said armstrong but in an area like york region we have goodsize hospitals that are far apart in durham armstrong says hos pital amalgamations are a possibili ty carriere agrees pointing out that the commission did not amalga- mate staff at torontos university teaching hospitals or scarboroughs three hospitals which arc located just 15 minutes apart you dont gain anything by amalgamating unless youre clos ing something behind you said carriere even if administrations were combined each hospital would still require a chief operating officer he added it might appease people who think getting rid of administration saves money carricrc said but youll end up getting the same costs if not more its smoke and mirrors if im not around as ceo ill be someplace else but in the end somebody has to run the place houston ford mercury bill houston ford mercury sales ltd 1 1 769 highway 48 stouflville 640 1 our customers are the focus of everything we do