A local municipality wants to invite a cabinet member to host a forum on health care.
Essex Town Council voted this week on a motion to send a letter to the minister of health and long-term care, Dr. Ed Hoskins, inviting him to the region for a future meeting on health care issues facing Essex County residents.
The motion was introduced by Ward 1 councillor Randy Voakes, who says while on a recent visit to an emergency room, he saw for himself what he thinks are substandard conditions.
"I understood from constituents complaining it was there," says Voakes. "But you should walk in there. It's in deplorable, deplorable, deplorable condition."
Voakes says recent cuts to health care in the province are trickling down to the facilities where patients are seeking care.
"They're under-utilized, they're understaffed, they're under-equipped," says Voakes. "I can't figure out why the provincial government of the day doesn't know it."
Voakes says he would like to see the Wynne government come down to Windsor-Essex and take a look at the situation for themselves.
The letter has yet to be sent to Dr. Hoskins, but Voakes says the point he wants to make sure the minister understands is that a forum is necessary.
"His answer has to be, 'Here's when I'm going to be there', because it needs to be discussed. I'm tired of it," says Voakes.
