Friday, May 10, 2019

How Supple Are They?



I hope, for the sake of their well-being, that each loyal soldier in the Doug Ford regime has a gym membership they regularly use. Otherwise, I fear they will sustain myriad and grievous injuries to their joints and sinews. Twisting oneself out of shape while proclaiming black is white and lies are truth can exact a horrible toll.

Perhaps somewhat ironically, the one whose well-being I currently feel the most concern for is Health Minister Christine Elliott, a once principled and competent woman who, upon entering the Ford cabinet, has proven to be, along with Attorney General Caroline Mulroney, most adept at amazing feats of contortion.

Consider the following from Rob Ferguson:
Layoffs of 44 staff at the Ontario Telemedicine Network following a funding cut by Premier Doug Ford’s government won’t curb plans to provide more virtual care to patients across the province, Health Minister Christine Elliott maintains.

Elliott said Wednesday none of the cuts at the telemedicine network were front-line care providers and called the firings “reasonable and pragmatic.”
Elliott seems to be an unabashed enthusiast of the far-right's core belief: less is more:
“It doesn’t mean that we take any ... direction away from digitization. It is vitally important in our modernization of our health-care system.”
Those who have not consumed that particular variety of Kool-Aid beg to differ:
... Green Leader Mike Schreiner said the health minister failed to explain how telemedicine remains a priority, particularly for remote and rural areas with less access to medical professionals than major cities.

“This government is so full of contradictions. It’s one after another. They say they support something and then they turn around and cut it. Telemedicine is just one example of that,” Schreiner added.

“The other one is they said they’re all for adapting to climate change and then they cut the tree-planting program and the flood prevention program.”
Until we all get "with the program," the vast majority of us, I suspect, will share Mr. Schreiner's bewilderment.

6 comments:

  1. Maybe yoga will help them when bending over backwards.

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    1. An excellent suggestion, runleyfips. Perhaps they could also try the meditation component of it, so they can attain some peace and some insight.

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  2. As John Tory keeps pointing out, Lorne, this government is hell bent on doing harm to those they say they support -- "the people."

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    1. It seems that under Ford's 'vision,' 'the people' are becoming a very narrowly defined group, Owen.

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  3. .. Aside from being a truly concientious parent along with her late husband - Saint Jim Flaherty.. I do not have a fluck to spare for Ms Elliott. Jim hosted a yearly 'retreat' on our dime.. to glean all requests that Harper et al could 'make it so' on behalf of Big Business.. One example - eviscerating OUR legislation
    protecting OUR inland waters & marine environments.. that was to 'cut red tape' - allow dumping of toxins, accomodate destruction of habitat.. 'Harper Legacy' dontcha know..

    Harper & Ray Novak bequeathed all that via Saint Jim's omnibus bill juggernaughts.. so surely dear Christine and Jim chatted over many many dinner about what a wonderful thing it was to be sure the extirpation of species and habitat ran riot.. and the showering of $$$ upon Big Energy expanded.

    That the last living kiss upon his lips was from Dr Kellie Leitch seems apropos.. she the child of parents who founded Ft McMurray... ie the tar sands town that grew..

    I hope I don't sound too mean or embittered.. or even not enough mean enough and embittered.. but she done nothing decent for me, my family or my family's future families.. nor has her bumboy dullwit Doug Ford.. and I aint feeling generous twards scumbucket political A-holes & Canadian sellouts..

    Je Me Souviens.. and I have not & will not forget.. nor do I forgive what can never be truly mended.. Our country.. called Canada

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    1. Your point is well-taken, Sal. People are judged by the company they keep, the politics they embrace, and the regard they have (or don't have) for "the people." Ms. Elliott fails on all three criteria.

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