The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

www.insideHALTON.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, August 3, 2012 · 6 Opinion & Letters 467 Speers Rd., Oakville Ont. L6K 3S4 (905) 845-3824 Fax: 337-5566 Classified Advertising: 632-4440 Circulation: 905-631-6095 -- 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. The Oakville Beaver THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: Canadian Circulation Audit Board Member THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: Recognized for Excellence by Ontario Community Newspapers Association Suburban Newspapers of America Canadian Community Newspapers Association ATHENA Award Neil Oliver Vice ­ President and Group Publisher of Metroland West The OakvilleBeaver is a division of David Harvey Regional General Manager JILL DAVIS Editor in Chief Daniel Baird Advertising Director ANGELA BLACKBURN Managing Editor Riziero Vertolli Photography Director Sandy Pare Business Manager MARK DILLS Director of Production Manuel garcia Production Manager CHARLENE HALL Director of Distribution KIM MOSSMAN Circ. Manager Either the bar of provincial expectations for Local Health Integration Networks (LHIN) has been set impossibly high or the community bodies responsible for delivering timely healthcare across the province are failing Ontarians miserably. That's the conclusion we've reached following the release of an annual report of LHIN performance for the fiscal year 2010-11. The document revealed none of the province's 14 regional LHINs was able to achieve even half of the 14 health performance targets set out by Ontario's health ministry for the 12 months under review. According to the provincial LHIN website: "In 2006, the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care divided the province into 14 regions or Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs) because, it was thought, people living locally were better able to plan, fund and integrate health services in their own communities. By April 1, 2007, LHINs took on full responsibility for health services in their communities." Here in Oakville, the delivery of healthcare is overseen by the Mississauga Halton LHIN. Of course, it was among all of the LHINs, which failed to meet their target. The fact people in need of healthcare in our province find themselves just as frustrated -- perhaps more -- than they were before LHINs existed, tells us this experiment hasn't improved access to timely healthcare quickly enough. Which brings us to the question -- why continue to have LHINs? LHINs have had five years to prove the ministry's hypothesis that people from specific regions of the province are best suited to planning, funding and integrating healthcare for their area. This latest report indicates not a single LHIN achieved the desired results. Perhaps not surprising when, for example, even the boundaries of the local LHIN see Oakville grouped with Mississauga, Milton, Halton Hills and south Etobicoke ­ but not our neighbouring City of Burlington. Though part of Halton, Burlington is grouped with Hamilton and yet a good number of Oakville people are referred to healthcare services in Hamilton. A cynic might conclude the LHIN system was set up to fail in order to give Queen's Park someone else to blame for the snail's pace at which healthcare in our province continues to be delivered. We believe this report is a wake-up call for more accountability at Queen's Park. It's time our provincial leaders explore other approaches to this serious problem before it gets even worse. The Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone 416-340-1981. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline. LHINs are ailing Support is welcome Letter to the editor Letters to the editor The Oakville Beaver welcomes letters from its readers. Letters will be edited for clarity, length, legal considerations and grammar. In order to be published all letters must contain the name, address and phone number of the author. Letters should be addressed to The Editor, Oakville Beaver, 467 Speers Rd., Oakville, ON, L6K 3S4, or via e-mail to editor@oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter. Re: Apa donates van to put PATCH on the road, The Oakville Beaver, Thursday, Aug. 2, 2012 I just read David Lea's article on Frank Apa and his generous donation of the Toyota Sienna van...it's just fantastic. Thank you so much for really capturing the generous spirit of Frank and the difference he is making in our community. Thanks also for having it up on the website so quickly. The photo is purrrrfect, Eric Riehl did a terrific job at the photo op. Thank you for all you...and everyone at The Oakville Beaver does to help tell our stories to the community! Brenda Dushko, Manager, Fund Development and Communications, Oakville & Milton Humane Society SUBMITTED PHOTOS Two seniors revisit Oakville High School football days in B.C. Bob Hughes (No. 99) and Bob Ballantyne (No. 44) met in Victoria, BC on July 22, 2012 after not having seen each other since attending Oakville High School in 1945. Bob Hughes (left) now lives in Victoria with his wife, Herma, and Bob Ballantyne with his wife, Elaine, were enjoying a visit to Vancouver Island from Pennsylvania. The photos above are of then and now. Robert Hughes, Victoria, BC Editor's Note: When contacted for verification, Hughes indicated he has spent almost half of his 85 years in B.C., but that Oakville is still "near and dear" to him. He has a website about Oakville at www.oakville-memories.info/.