Leader Post(pdf) – NDP offended by Gormley show;
The provincial government is taking offence to comments made on a
popular radio talk show Tuesday about Premier Lorne Calvert’s handling of the province’s health-care system.
The topic – failures of the Saskatchewan health care system, highlighted last week by the story of the Hansen family in trying to find help for their 18 month old, who was finally diagnosed with leukemia after an emergency trip to an Edmonton children’s hospital.
But for Clay Serby, defending the practice of medical rationing goes beyond the treasured “fundamental principles of equality and free access” – this has evolved into a threat to government!
Deputy Premier Clay Serby said members of the broadcasting profession should review John Gormley’s Tuesday show, which Serby said enticed people to consider acts of civil disobedience.
“I have never seen, in my view, a piece of work that has created so much anxiety for people as what I’ve seen the last two days being reported by Mr. Gormley,” Serby said.
Yes there were anxious calls. Waiting for weeks to see a specialist while your health deteriorates and finances crumble can do that to a person.
During the show, Gormley played a clip from Calvert from Monday’s question period, when he stated, “It is one thing to criticize the system and it is appropriate, and it is appropriate when there is flaws that we discover those flaws and do the repair but you know, if you are going to be credible, you need to stand up and provide some alternative.”
After the clip, Gormley said, “You know what my alternative is, Lorne Calvert? Get the hell out of my way … Act like you are in charge and fix things. And if you can’t, get the hell out of the way, there are those who can.”
Gormley is bang on in this.
The NDP forfeited any right to cry foul over health care failures. This is the party that climbs aboard the Mediscare Express during every election, chasing the privatization bogeyman into seniors homes to frighten the elderly into believing the “scary fascists” will turn them into the streets to die.
“I’m of concern that yesterday’s broadcast and this morning’s has solicited a response from Saskatchewan people that is hugely troublesome, that you have an individual who phones in and says that had his presence been closer to this place, he may in fact be in jail today,” Serby said.
“Where then Mr. Gormley says that what he would like to see is he would like to see the health minister’s head on a platter … This kind of action, civil disobedience, that is perpetuated by a radio host is in my view over the line.”
Clay Serby was treated for cancer in 2004. Unlike others in the province, I think one can safely assume he wasn’t told he had a three month wait for an appointment with an oncologist.
Serby has not filed a complaint to a professional body yet about the
show, but he has asked to meet with the owners of the radio station to see if they condone the host’s conduct.
Don’t go anywhere just yet, folks. With all the gauntlet throwing going on, this story appears ripe to go national.
(Reports coming in from question period at the Leg this afternoon are that the session was a meltdown over the Gormley show. Hansard and video feed)