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Whose disinformation?

Letters

Editor:

In his Feb. 16 letter, “Disinformation failed,” Keith Maxwell said he was in favour of “a well-informed and reasoned debate on the role of public and private facilities in providing health care and related services in Canada.”

While he stated the “opposition” put forth a disinformation campaign, I have yet to see any quoted studies from his private-for-profit campaign that would prove it is anything but disinformation in its own right. I’ve yet to see any of these claims attributed to a reliable, reputable, and/or accredited source. The one source referenced is a study showing 85 per cent of care homes are understaffed. This does not show the differences between private and public.

I work in the trenches. I’ve heard from family members of residents. I’ve heard from the proposed employer (Trellis). I’ve heard from VCH. I’ve heard directly from my union (HEU). And I’ve heard from my current government. We have received no assurances that anything has changed. Adrian Dix “expects” things from VCH and Trellis, but he has stated that the contract with VCH and Trellis is binding – this despite our research showing there are definitely escape clauses.

You can read through your foggy glasses, but until you’ve had a personal audience with the parties at play, and perhaps a visit with a few soldiers down in the trenches, you will not fully understand what is at stake here.

Protect public health care! Bottom line.

Barb Werk, West Sechelt