Today’s speech by the Minister of Health and Long Term Care before the Toronto Board of Trade is sold out.
There has been much focus on it despite suggestions by Toronto Star columnist Martin Regg Cohn that the speech will signal a new direction in health care that just happens to be the same old direction in health care.
Shortly we will know for sure.
There used to be a time when Ontario health ministers were more forthcoming with speeches about their plans.
During George Smitherman’s first full year as Minister of Health and Long Term Care (2004) he posted 14 policy speeches on-line. The following year there were nine more, seven in 2006 and another early in 2005 before Smitherman was replaced by David Caplan, who posted two speeches during his very short stay on the 10th floor of the Hepburn Block.
Since Deb Matthews was appointed in 2009, only her annual speech to the Ontario Hospital Association has been posted. That’s one per year.
Is that really the sum total of her speeches, or is that all that the Ministry feels worthwhile to post?
No wonder such anticipation meets today’s speech. Like the Hollywood film “The Artist,” we all wait for the moment to hear her speak.
OPSEU Diablogue 
It seems that our elected PM and premier assume they were elected to Supreme Dictator. The vast majority of citizens want truly Public healthcare. Private For Profit Healthcare costs more (see Profits) and does less due to lower wages and staff reductions caused by trying to keep costs down to match Public Health Care.