Shrieeek! Union destroys hospital! And Timmies!

This is what passes for news reporting, in the Sun tabloids.

A hospital Tim Hortons in St. John's that was supposed to make hundreds of thousands of dollars to offset the cost of delivering health care is going fully private after years of losing taxpayer money.

Eastern Health, Newfoundland and Labrador's largest health authority, announced this week that it will hand over all its non-patient cafeteria services — including the red-ink-stained Timmies — to private companies.

How many prevarications did you spot in those opening paragraphs? Tim Hortons are franchised; whoever has a contract with the head company is required to hand over a large chunk, if not ALL the profits to the corporate owners. Hospitals are not-for-profit but you'd think that somebody in Accounting might have been able to crunch those numbers for Eastern Health before agreeing to a venture that lost money to private industry.

"We cannot continue to subsidize those non-direct care services when we know they can be provided more effectively and efficiently," Eastern Health CEO Vickie Kaminski said.

Words taken directly from the CONservatives' standard talking-points manual. Will Eastern Health soon be asking patients to launder their own bedsheets and clean the bathrooms? That's *non-direct care services*, right?

When the Tim Hortons opened in 1995 in the Health Sciences Centre, Newfoundland and Labrador's biggest hospital, authorities promised it would net a profit of up to $300,000 a year, enough to "pay the salaries of seven nurses," then-hospital administrator Gladys Peachy told CBC News at the time.

Instead, Kaminski revealed this week the chain lost $260,000 last year alone, despite the fact it's a very popular spot, with huge lines every day.

Hmm how interesting. Could it possibly be that the budget advanded in the Tim Hortons' franchise template was based on part-time, minimum wage, no benefits staff salaries? And Eastern Health probably has regulations that require workers within its complex belong to a union.

But while the coffee shop itself is privately managed, its workers are unionized hospital employees, earning about $20 an hour, plus benefits.

What the Sun's union-bashing propaganda piece neglects to mention is that any revenue "lost" by Eastern Health went to Tim Hortons' investors and shareholders. And earning $20 an hour plus benefits, working in a busy high-stress environment seems appropriate to me.

Interestingly enough, it appears that none of the infotainment flaks who work for the Sun chain have expressed outrage about this.

The bill [C-38] increases Gov. Gen. David Johnston's salary from $137,500 to $270,602 starting on Jan.1, 2013 — but he's no longer exempt from paying income tax. His salary was hiked to offset the taxman's bite.

His salary was doubled. Some *taxman's bite*. Remember, the governor general lives for free in luxurious housing including housekeeping staff and travels first-class to exotic locations - all paid by our taxes. Where's the shriEEEK, Sun Media?

Meanwhile in BC - as illustrated by the photo above - the customers' seating area outside the Tim Hortons' located in a hospital was temporarily used for patients arriving at Emergency during an unusually demanding health care critical period.

Why do the CONs hate our veterans and our troops?

Actions speak louder than words; the Harper Regime©™ plans to slash and burn programs and services for Canadian veterans.

“While in Charlottetown last week, VAC staff informed me that because they did their job ‘too well’ and had too many veterans coming to the office for service, the federal government was closing the Charlottetown District office,” Stoffer said in a statement. “They were told to direct more veteran clients to the toll-free phone service and the internet.”

From here.

As well, human resources providing assistance with regard to suicide prevention and PTSD care for veterans of Afghanistan will be MASSIVELY reduced. From here:

[...] the Department of National Defence was cutting the jobs of medical professionals involved in suicide prevention and PTSD monitoring — despite claims by DND and the Canadian Forces that dealing with such health issues is a priority. Two unions have been informed by DND of the job cuts. DND has not commented on the cuts but sources confirmed the positions will be eliminated.

At the same time, the newspaper obtained an internal report for senior military officers at CFB Petawawa warning that emotionally damaged Afghanistan war veterans at the base are being neglected by a mental health treatment system that is in “crisis.”

‘MacKay loves to wrap himself in the military flag and as long as these guys are healthy’
The report was written by a group of civilian clinicians who provide much of the care to hundreds of mentally ill soldiers from the base.

It describes a system that is poorly funded, devoid of forward planning, scrambling to provide even basic care and leaving mentally ill, often-suicidal soldiers waiting four months or more before a psychiatrist or psychologist is available to treat them.

Unsurprisingly, the Minister for National Defense, Peter MacKay did nothing to ensure these vital services for veterans are maintained.

How many pins can you stick ...

into this Vaudou effigy of PMSHithead?

As many as necessary.

Just Plain Spite

Here is Katimavik's reaction to Stevie Spiteful's axe (bold added).

It is with extreme disappointment that we learned today that the Government has decided to end its funding commitment to Katimavik. 

Today’s announcement comes as a surprise, since we are entering the third year of a funding agreement whose terms end March 31st, 2013. The decision is even more surprising considering that the recently made public Canadian Heritage summative evaluation of our programs makes very clear how Katimavik’s programs are not only relevant, important and valuable, but also how the organization attains its targets and the programs tie in with government-wide priorities and the department’s strategic objectives.

For the past 35 years, Katimavik has helped shape a civically responsible Canada by harnessing the power of our young volunteers to help those in need in communities across Canada. In that time, over 30 000 Canadian youth have made a difference in communities from coast-to-coast-to-coast. They participated in our program gaining valuable work, life and leadership skills all the while fostering community development and civic engagement. Their parents had peace of mind knowing that their sons and daughters were participating in a structured, time-tested program, while they navigated the transition from emerging adulthood to adulthood.

In the coming days, our Board of Directors and management staff will be convened to plan the next steps.  

We appreciate the ongoing support of the thousands of Canadians and community organizations that have been touched by our programs. At a time when civic-engagement and voter turnout are at an all-time low, when youth unemployment rates are double the national average, this is clearly the worst time to cut Katimavik. Our mission to promote and instil long-term social responsibility and civic involvement and provide job skills to our young people is now needed more than ever; as is the tangible help to our not-for-profit work partners in communities all across Canada so they can deliver essential services to those that need them the most.

There is still time to reverse the government’s decision. In the weeks and days to come, we hope we can count on Katimavik’s many supporters to speak with their elected officials about their experiences and articulate the value and benefits of a strong Katimavik for Canada.

My best friend's youngest brother was something of a screw-up as a teen. Not a bad kid, just aimless and drifting. My friend did some research and convinced bro to try Katimavik. Bro loved it and came back a different kid.

MT “@althiaraj: A Tory told me they view #Katimavik as a Liberal recruiting ground.” Because it produces smart & caring people #cdnpoli

— Stephen Lautens (@stephenlautens) March 30, 2012

 

But we can't have that, can we?