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Page 26, Whitby Free Press. Wodnesday, November 24, 199 "pedople should be entffe to deoent medical caoe" Town demands end to restrictive. health rudes By Mike Kowalsl Town council wants the Ontario government te abolish rules that deny medical treat- ment te some'high-riak' patienta. By a margin of 6-1, council Monday endorsed a resolution wMich demande that medical troatment bo made available te everyone covered b y the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (0H11>), regadles of age or disease. In addition, council wants the govornment te reimburse anyone who. has suffered financial bs as a rosult of falling victim to a little-known proincýial policy known as rationing.' Propoeed by councillor Dennis Fox, the resolution aise aaks that the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) forward coun- cil's concerns te the government. (AMO ia the political bobbying arm of Ontario municipalities.) In introducing Mis motion, Fox teld council it was prompted by recent incidents of Onie resi- dents refused medical treatment in their own province and having te seelk it elsewhere, usually in the United States. «A concept that I find truly distasteful, he said. Although net claimming te ho «an NDPer at heart,» F ex said universal health care «%aseme- thing vo always bolieved in," adlg that "Tommy Douglas must ho rolling over in his grave» (The first leader of the federal New Democratic Pary Duglas instituted medicare w Cie pre- mier of Saskatchewan, years beforo it was ixnplemented in the reat of Canada.) But even though ho was aware of other Ontarians bofing deni*ed medical coverage, «until it hits home y ou neyer fully realize what!s hapenig," said Fox. Ho thon proceeded te, read a letter te, Premier Bob Rae which was written by bis wife's uncle, Orangeville resident Donald Por- ter. In bis letter, which was cited in the Ontario leeilature lest month by Progressive Conserva- tive leader Mike Hri, Porter easins how he was diagnosed ahang cancer in Novîember 1991. He underwent chemotherapy treatment in oarly 1992, but by Septembor 1992 it was doter- mined that the cancer was net in remission but progressinq. Porter's docter teld Mum that without a bone marrow trans- plant Mse life expectancy was perhaps thrce te nine months, ho writes. «As 1 was 64 years old, and due te the element of risk, OHIP would net cover the cost of the procedure,»"Porter states. Porter's'physician tried te, per- suade 0HIP te pay for the pro- ~g.......UMMMMUMMMMMUMMMMMMMMMMMMMM$b t M * M * M * M * M Better Pizza M A M at an even * Better : Price! M M M M M ~ ** "~ 4~'44' M MM M * M * M M i 701 ROSSLAND RD. E., WHITBY M * (Rossland and Garden Plaza) V.**...***mm***mmm*mmum*mmmm*m*****. cedure and when it refused ho contacted a hospital in ÎRoces- ter, New York, known for its successa in marrow transplants. After undergoing extensive testing at the Rochester facility, doctors there were able te tako a quantity of Portor's niarrow and re-introduce it into Mse body, thus elimmnating the need for a donor. 'Discrimination basled on ae and abily topvay" "To date the procedure has been succesaful and there is ne sign of re-occurrence of the can- cer and I could be considered cured,» Porter states. But unfortunately for Porter, it cost Mim $150,000 in U.S. funds te «save my own life,» he notes. «If rd had a hoart attack or stroke or some other debilitating illness, OHIP would have covered my medical expenses. Why not my expenses in this case?" he asks. «This is discrimination based on ae and abiity te, pay and is mora ly wrong.» Fox concurred with Porter's commente. «I honestly believe that regard- less of age and ability te pay, people should be entitled te, decent medical care in this pro- vince, said Fox. «I 'thiits tetally immoral and wrong. Here is a person who had te, se il hie house and is now financially ruined,» lho said. Fox, council's representative on the Wihitby General Hospital board of governors, said hoe raised the issue at a board meet- in and was teld by other mein- brs that people cannot ho denied treatinent in Ontario. But a docter in attendance teld him ho was correct and that the policy la called rationing, Fox said. "Now if you are over the age of 57 and you have a life-threaten- ing ilînoas, your dossier is sent te Peterborough n a tribunal of Crocrt decide if you get car.,» osaid. Fox said hie has net verified the docter's explaation and muet take hlmi at hMs word. «If we can't take care of tho old and sick in this country, some- thing is very wrong,» ho said. Councillor John Doistra shared Fox's outrage. «When wo get te the point where Canadians have te spend their life savings te save their lives we have te do soniething,» said Dolatra. Councillor Ross Batten sym- pathized «fully» with Fox'a con- cerna, but worried that the reo- lution's wording was tee broad. "My problemi is that in the past ]Pve always foît our mandate is net te.delve inte provincial and federal matters,» said Batten. «I don't understand the medi- cal system and iny concern is that F'm giving support te some- thing I don't undersand,» hie said . .By focussing on a specific issue, Batten feared that council could ho in danger of "painting the whole medical aytemi with a wide bruah.» Batten suggested that if the mattor was delayed for two weeks te tighten up the word- ing,» Fox would get a unanimous vote. «I appreciate what you're say- ing but I would prefeir te get it resolved new »"Fox repliod. Councillor bon Mitchell agreed with Batton on the need te clarify the motion's wording. Mitchell did net objoct te enuigthat ail eligible ntriasrcoive medical treat- ment, but was hesitant about calling for an outright end te the ratioming poli lnobt Rationin 'r'«' aws a ln»bt woen heal 1 care and pr1ni, lif. unneceasarily and te abolish it could drive up the coot ef medicare even further, ho war- ned. «Seventy per cent of ail the money (for health care) spent on you "s spent in the last six months of your 1f.,» said Mit- chell. «Te me it's an invitation te en-going scientiric expriments onpro ongingl1if.ana <i don't think our system can afford it.» Mayor Tom Edwards agreed that, the resolution's language was «awful", but said councîil had an «obligation» te bring matters of this nature te the attention of senior levels of government. Edwards termed it «ironic» that in 1993 council was in the position of writing te an NDP premier and suggesting a course of action supported by a Conser- vative politician (Harris). «I remember in 1959 walking around with a placard calling for medicare and I was called a subversive,» Edwards added. On a recorded vote, only Mit- chell refused te support Fox's motion. FATI-ER AUSTIN dramatic arts teacher Jim Shea and five senior drama students - (from Ieft) Tobias Fennessey, Mike Massey, Laura Arangio, Steve Puchalski and Sandra Pulito - are in Goose Bay, Labrador for the Native Creative Arts Festival. Shea was invited to adjudicate the festival and bring atong five students to demnonstrate "the Ontario experience in the arts." Photo by Mark Roer, WNhy Free Pross Hold-up at donut shop A man wearing a ski inask got awaywth cash after holding up a BgrkStreet North donut shop early Wednesday mornmng. Police say the man, wearing a ski mask, entered the shop around 2:15 a.m. and ordered the clerk te empty the tiIl. He indica- ted ho had a gun although police aay non. was seen. The clerk wasn't hurt and the robber was Iast seen heading south on Brock Street on foot. The Durham Regional Police rob- bory wquad in investigating. 00