Nurses

Ontario has four different hospital types including public hospitals, private hospitals, federal hospitals, and Cancer Care Ontario Hospitals. There are 211 hospital sights in Ontario.

One hundred and fifty five are hospital corporations. Fifty six are hospitals under an umbrella corporation. Ontario also has eight private hospitals providing services under the" Private Hospitals Act" who receive funding for their operation from the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care (MOHLTC).

Throughout McGuinty's campaign he promised to hire another 9000 nurses. McGuinty did not hire 9000 nurses all through his last tenure as premier. Since 2004 the Ontario government disclosed 1202 positions were created in Ontario hospitals servicing patients in every area of hospital care from intake to the ward to the operating room. In the time period from 2004 to the end of 2006 each hospital was lucky enough to receive 5.7 nurses which were not too many in 3 years.

The public who assumed McGuinty's figures to be correct were taken in as they were not factual. The correct figure was just over 5000, not 9000. The distinction between the just over 5000 and the figure of 1202 covered other care units not documented as Ontario hospitals outlined earlier. One can see a hospital is indeed short of nurses if all they can expect is 5.7 nurses in 3 years.

Graduation should not even enter the picture as nurses graduate every year. There are nurses in training right now that will graduate next year, not 3 or 4 years from now.

Follow the scarcity very closely as I am sure the outcome will be no different.

Nuclear Power Plants in Ontario

The election is over and theLiberals are back in power for another 4 years. One of McGuinty's key promises was the closing of all coal fired power plants in Ontario by 2014. A little premature but how long do you suppose it will take McGuinty to act on this promise?

As of September 23, 2007 McGuinty made 71 promises including one to close all coal fired power plants by 2014 and not 2007 as promised.

In June 2006 Energy Minister Duncan declared the government will likely build two new Nuclear Power Plants (NPP's ).No sign as to when but likely but not for certain.

In May 2007 the Liberals announced the hiring of consultants to conduct a $3 million dollar study of available nuclear technology, if this study, which usually in most cases takes months, reveals the technology is not up to par what then?

The Ontario Power Authority has asked the provincial government to spend $26.5 billion on NPP's to guarantee electricity supply until 2025.

Now, having looked at all of the plans, proposals, and promises let's look at the flaws.

This is 2007; McGuinty intends to close all coal fired power plants in 2014 that is 7 years from now with absolutely no sign of what is going to be on hand at the time of closing. According to American figures it takes at least 1o years for nearly all NPP's to go from conception to operation which means 2017. If the coal plants are shut down in 2014 and this new Liberal government has not moved ahead with their proposals and promises we could feasibly be looking at a time issue past 2017.The average cost of a single NPP is over $5 billion, a cost without a doubt will spiral beyond this figure every month and year pending the governments' approval.

According to the Ontario Power Authority their plans dated August 29, 2007, submitted to the Province's Energy Regulator, the Ontario Energy Board still requires regulatory approval, a commitment the Ontario government has yet to make. If all of the time factors are to be true one can almost be confident there will be no NPP's in 2014 and the coal will still be burning.

It takes 10 years or more to put into operation where a wind turbine system can go up in one year.

Where is the nuclear waste to be stored?

Wind and Solar power don't generate waste.

Canadian Household Debt

Just recently I read some very attention grabbing articles written by Joyanne Pursage of the Toronto Sun on Canadians in debt to the point I decided to pass on some of her information along with some of mine I found while surfing the topic. I happen to know many who I feel, and hopefully I am wrong, may fit in the $916 billion Canadian Household Debt exposed in this article and with all due respect those I mentioned are not aware of what I've mentioned. I honestly hope one finds this article useful as this type of information is not always readily accessible. Some of this information was obtained off the website of Credit Canada a credit counseling service in Toronto.
Did you know 90% of Canadians have more debt today then 5 years ago, 53% of Canadians do not have a personal/household budget, 80% of Canadians do not know their credit rating or credit score, a key factor in knowing the cost of their debt, and 26% of Canadians do not reflect on the consequences of rising interest rate when borrowing money.Summing up these figures many Canadians lack the knowledge to effectively manage their finances.
The Canadian household debt in 1980 was $134 billion; by 2005 the household debt had risen to $916 billion. Canadians owed $1.16 for each dollar of disposable income.
Earlier I mentioned 80% of Canadians do not know their credit rating, a rating every Canadian should check every year. To get this rating which is free of charge go to search engine Google and type in either Equifax Canada or Transunion Canada.
A number of Canadians just pay the minimum payment shown on their credit card statement and ignore how much they have on the books to pay. I am going to give a perfect example of only paying the minimum on a credit card statement by taking a credit card balance of $661.00 with an interest rate of 18.5%, a minimum payment calculated at 2% of the statement balance. that minimum payment of 2% per month based on no more money advances and purchases would take 158 months to get rid of the debt while paying $1004.24 in interest, if one pays a fixed payment of$13.22 per month with no purchases and cash advances it will take 97 months to get rid of the debt.One will pay$611.81 in interest. If one were to increase the monthly minimum payment to $50.00 with no purchases and money advances it will take 15 months to get rid of the debt having only to pay $83.88 in interest.

Here are a few tips to help keep one in the black.

1. Pay bills on time every month.
2. Keep track of your credit limit.
3. Keep track of your due dates.
4. Do not borrow from one creditor to pay another.
5. Limit your total debt excluding mortgage to 15% of your net income.

If one can not stand by these tips there is a predicament that can only be resolved by sitting down with a counseling service.
Earlier I mentioned a credit report without an explanation of what that report shows. the report is a record of the credit history used be lenders to decide if one can obtain credit. Believe it or not only 15% of Canadians had ordered their credit reports; most didn't understand what the report contained.
Today the Canadian Household Debt is over one trillion dollars and climbing

Promises at our expense

Has any one sat down and taken the time to total up the billions promised you and I by the 4 parties vying for control at Queens Park?

1. Liberals $14.7 billion
2. Conservatives $14.1 billion
3. NDP $16.8 billion
4. Green Party $11.7 billion

Where is all of this money coming from? Make sure one has deep pockets because those promises are aimed at our pocket books.

Mud Slinging

I want to question candidate Mastroianni about his big page slamming Peter Kormos in today's paper.

First of all I doubt Mr. Mastroianni knew a damn thing about Bill 83 until someone in the Liberal party decided to dig up some mud. I must mention the Bill 83 was put on the floor by the Liberal party and as most knowledgeable people know opposing parties seldom support the part in control of the house unless is should happen to contain bits and pieces of legislation introduced by other parties.

Perhaps Mr. Mastroianni would care to release the contents of the bill in reference to the two subjects and quote the voting results? I certainly couldn't find any references to the two subjects.

For a few moments would Mr. Mastroianni care to tell the people of Welland his voting records when he was on City and Regional council that supported Welland. Did Mr, Mastroianni ever introduce motions that would benefit the citizens of Welland during his political career? I don't recall any.

Perhaps Mr. Mastroianni should ask how many people in Welland Peter helped over his many years in parliament vs how many he has helped?

I would like Mr. Mastroianni to produce documentation to support his statement on Bill 136. When one makes statements such as Mr. Mastroianni has made I believe the people of Welland are entitled to proof.

The people of Welland did not want him for mayor, why would they want him for a back bencher?

Visa Credit Cards

Effective April 1, 2007 Visa Canada introduced what they refer to as a "Visa Canada Policy" for the protection of card holders. Printing the full list of numbers of a credit card on either the customer or retailer copies violate privacy laws in Canada. Visa Canada for the protection of cardholder information is their number one priority. The policy as I understand it to be is the merchants must suppress the last four digits of the Primary Account Number(PAN) on the printer cardholder receipt. This is a requirement of all retailers in the Visa system. this is what is called Pan Truncation; truncation prevents fraud, including identity theft by denying criminals use of data printed on cardholder transaction receipts.

Visa has asked to be notified through their disputes area at the financial institution that services your card account, of any merchant practices that you feel inappropriate. The Visa card has a 16-digit number which usually appears on your receipts. Big Stores "Truncate" credit card numbers so only the last digits are showing. The rest are blanked out just as they are on the receipts you get from bank machines.

Some merchants are still printing the entire Visa card number which contravenes the new Visa Canada Policy dated April 1, 2007. The printing of the entire 16-digit number can be stopped if the merchant is reported. Visa also states the merchant's copy can contain the full credit card number as he, the merchant may need it for refunds or dispute resolution. Having said this the Federal Privacy Law requires the merchant to safeguard all of the information they collect, they, the merchants can't throw the receipts into a garbage container or dumpster without shredding or leave them exposed to theft by an employee.

I ask all credit cardholders to check their receipts.

Hard of Hearing

I've experienced a hearing setback since 1983, a predicament that worsened over the years to the position I only have about 20% hearing in my right ear and about 40% in my left ear. I am currently on my 4Th set of hearing aids and have been told there is not much more that can be done to improve my hearing. Throughout the past 24 years one has no idea what it is like for a hard of hearing person to carry on or listen to a conversation in a group of people. I decided to take in an 8 week seminar for the hard of hearing to find out how to compensate for the many hearing problems I, and many, many more like me experience on a daily basis. The seminar does not merely settle on our troubles as it also outlines courtesies one should anticipate from those not having hearing problems, In this seminar we are also taught speech reading and some lip reading useful in group conversations.
Hearing loss is an invisible disability. One can not see if a person has a hearing loss and to what degree the loss may be.Hearing aids are hard to see.
Hearing loss and loneliness often come together. The person with hearing loss begins to feel isolated. Family and friends stop talking to the hard of hearing person or feel embarrassed with the hard of hearing person simply because they don't know how to "get through". Strangers may judge you slow and inattentive.

A little informed courtesy can make the Loss seem less

1. Speak slower please, not louder
2. Speak nearer it is clearer
3. We have no eyes in our backs. Speak when I ma looking at you.
4. Please!!! Speak to my good ear
5. Re-phrase what you say rather than repeat
6. Don't exclude when talking in a group or planning an outing
7. The hard of hearing still needs visual clues, including lipreading
8. Don't shout. Shouting is painful and not easier to understand
9. Tell me if I am not speaking clearly, it helps

Hard of hearing people have basic rights

1. I have the right to communicate and participate
2. I have the right to tell people directly about the facts of my hearing condition
3. I have the right to educate/inform others about specific ways to improve communication and good will among/between us
4. I have the right to be treated fairly regardless of my hearing condition
5. I have the right to expect common courtesy from hearing people
6. I have the right to protect myself, to act in my own best interests
7. I have the right to keep the facts about my hearing in a positive context
8. I have the right to be treated in a non-patronizing way by professionals

Vehicles purchased in St Catharines

I have to question the recent purchase of trucks from a St. Catharine's dealer particularly a brand not even made in our region nor in Eastern Ontario.

If I were in the shoes of those people who live in Welland that go to St. Catharin's, Oakville, and Oshawa to work for either Ford or GM I would be questioning why my tax dollars are going to a vehicle(CHRYSLER) whose manufacturer does not contribute one thing to the economy of Welland as do the workers from Welland at Ford and GM.

Yes there is a tender system which in most cases contains a clause stating the lowest tender does not necessarily have to be accepted.Out of loyalty to the local vehicle dealerships including Chyrsler why could the tender not be awarded to the local vehicle dealership taxpayers if the difference, if ever disclosed, were insignificant?

Were these points even discussed before voting to accept the low tender?

The point to be made is WHAT HAPPENED TO SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESS AND JOBS? Is this an example of moving in the right direction?