Liberal MPPs Have Lost Their Way
On May 20, 2016, Bob Delaney, MPP for Mississauga-Streetsville, had two Peel Regional Police cruisers sent to the home of one of his own constituents, Melanie Palaypayon. Her wrongdoing? Standing up for what is right: advocating for access to IBI treatment for her six-year-old son Xavier, who has autism.
Xavier, like thousands of other Ontario children, will no longer be eligible to have this essential therapy funded by our public healthcare system. As a Pediatrician, I know the vital importance of intensive early intervention in autism all too well. But as we have seen, time and again with their senseless, unilateral cuts to healthcare, the Liberal government’s actions are rarely evidence-based.
Mr. Delaney called the police on a distraught mother, who was so worried about her son’s future that she spent the last few months passionately advocating for restoration of this funding.
When did peacefully handing out flyers outside of a constituency office become criminal behaviour? Last I checked, we lived in a democratic country. Last I checked, MPPs are elected by their constituents to be their voice. Instead of meeting with Ms. Palaypayon and other parents of children with autism, Mr. Delaney chose to not only ignore their voices, their concerns and their fears, but to respond with intimidation tactics. While unbecoming, this behaviour is unfortunately in keeping with Mr. Delaney’s conduct over the past year. Time and again, he has ignored the voices of physicians protesting the healthcare cuts, constituents like myself. Emails and phone calls by my colleagues and I — all have been simply, arrogantly ignored.
I’m ashamed that Bob Delaney is my MPP. In an interview with the Toronto Star recently, Mr. Delaney stated: “As an MPP, I understand how important it is to listen to the concerns of my constituents.” These are empty promises, not just for him but for Liberal MPPs across the province, all of whom have chosen to ignore the voices of thousands of their physician constituents. All of whom have refused to hear about the mounting healthcare crisis, the impact on Ontarians in their communities, and the stories of patients suffering and dying on waitlists. All of whom instead respond by vilifying doctors.
This is a common theme of Wynne’s Liberal government. Target, shame and vilify those Ontarians who dare to raise awareness of their government’s illogical and harmful policies. Actions of Liberal MPPs have led to undue distress for parents of children with autism across the province. Similarly, Minister Hoskins’ actions have created an alarmingly toxic working environment for doctors to the point that a recent survey revealed 78% of Ontario’s doctors are burned out. This is deeply concerning as physician suicide rates are already twice that of the general population. This is a public health concern: patient outcomes are worse under the shadow of physician burnout with a rise in medical errors, injury and illness. No one is spared under the arrogance of Wynne’s government.
Liberal MPPs have lost their way. They have forgotten that they were elected to be a voice for the people — not a puppet for their political party. Rather than toeing their party’s rhetoric and spin, these MPPs need to do their job: listening to the very real and pressing concerns of their constituents and representing their voice at Queen’s Park.
After all, that is what democracy is.
After nearly a year, physician constituents who have the misfortune of having Liberal MPPs are still waiting to be allowed the chance to advocate for their patients. I am still waiting for my MPP. I hope he and other Liberal MPPs begin by acknowledging physicians in their ridings as constituents. Dismissing the very real and devastating impact of these unilateral cuts to our once precious healthcare system is detrimental to all of us.
So tell me Bob, when is a good time to meet?
