April 19, 2009Today Carole James will attempt to tell Surrey residents the NDP is the champion of Surrey health care. But the facts show that couldn’t be further from the truth.
- When the NDP was elected to office in 1991 there were 403 acute care beds at Surrey Memorial. By the last full year of their government there were only 357 acute care beds – a decrease of 11 per cent. During this timeframe, the population of Surrey increased by almost 40 per cent.
- The CEO of the South Fraser Health Region between 1998 and 2001 was Pat Zanon – now the NDP Candidate for Surrey-Tynehead.
- After the BC Liberals restructured the Health Authorities in 2001 there were 388 acute care beds at Surrey Memorial Hospital. Today there are 493 acute care beds – an increase of 27 per cent. During this timeframe the population of Surrey increased by approximately 20 per cent.
- In the 2005 Election Campaign the BC Liberals committed to a review of the best long-term health care solution for Surrey and “the money will be there in our budget and shovels in the ground by 2008.” In contrast, the only specific commitment the NDP made to Surrey Memorial Hospital was to add 20 acute care beds.
- Fortunately for Surrey residents the BC Liberal government was returned and, by 2008, shovels were in the ground on the $239-million new Surrey Outpatient Hospital and renovations had been completed at Surrey Memorial Hospital which added 73 acute care beds.
- And the progress continues. In February 2009, the BC Liberals announced that construction would begin on a new half-a-billion dollar Critical Care Tower, with 151 additional acute care beds, and the quintupling of the emergency department. The NDP voted against the funding for this project.
- Now Carole James says she will simply “accelerate” construction on the project announced by the BC Liberals two months ago – a project she and the rest of the NDP voted against, and proved they could never deliver when they had the chance.
The BC Liberal government delivers on what it promises – and more. The NDP makes promises as well – but they don’t bother to deliver. You decide.
