December 1, 2005

Members’ Statements

PROPOSED OXFORD HOSPITAL

Mr. Ernie Hardeman (Oxford): It gives me great pleasure to welcome all the good folks who have travelled from my great riding of Oxford and are sitting in the gallery today. These people, close to 80 of them, arrived here on two buses. In fact, following these two buses are two cows. These Holsteins are here to help them deliver the message, "Let's get moooving."

They took time out of their busy schedules to personally deliver 2,000 postcards received from the residents of their community asking the McGuinty government to give approval to go to tender for the new hospital. Community leaders, hospital officials and volunteers have worked hard to meet their end of the deal. This 25-acre site is ready for construction. The property has been pre-graded, services have been installed, roads and sidewalks have been built. This community is ready and waiting.

Along with the bake sales, lotteries and many fundraising events held in the community, there were some very exciting and creative events held to help the foundation meet its financial obligations: fundraising events such as the Woodstock and District Homebuilders, who through our helping hands project built a house in 72 hours with all proceeds, $285,000, donated to the hospital campaign; and Jim Palmer, a local farmer, sold a herd of cows and donated it to the hospital.

The people of Oxford do not understand how the hospital could be so close and then be stalled like this. I ask the Minister of Health to recognize the dedication and hard work of the hospital committee, the health needs of the people and to make the good news announcement today that the folks of Oxford are waiting for: Say that you are signing off on the approvals required so we can keep moving forward.