QUEEN’S PARK – NDP Leader Andrea Horwath today asked Premier Dalton McGuinty if he will commit to reopening emergency rooms in Port Colborne and Fort Erie if a coroner’s jury determines that their closure contributed to the death of Reilly Anzovino, an 18-year-old Fort Erie resident.
The coroner’s inquest into Ms. Anzovino’s Dec. 27 death, following a Boxing Day car accident, will determine whether the death could have been prevented had the Fort Erie emergency room not been forced to shut its doors last year. Due to the closure, Ms. Anzovino had to be transported to Welland.
“Ontario families tell us they want to see responsible planning to ensure the health care system is there when they need it. This particular tragedy raised a whole bunch of questions and left many Niagara region residents shaken,” said Horwath during today’s Question Period.
“We owe it to Ms. Anzovino, her family and her community to get to the bottom of what happened and to ensure it doesn’t happen again.”
Horwath noted that emergency room closures are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to health care cuts in McGuinty’s Ontario.
“All over the province, we’re seeing reckless, random cuts that leave people without the front line services that they need. Surgeries are being cancelled and hospital services are being cut. People are worried and they have every right to be,” said Horwath.
She called on the Premier to stop hiding behind the Local Health Integtration Networks (LHINs) and assume responsibility for the health care decisions that are being made.
“The Premier needs to show some leadership, and that includes making a commitment to re-open the closed emergency rooms if they are found to have played a role in Ms. Anzovino’s death,” said Horwath.
