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VICTORIA – New Democrat Finance Critic Bruce Ralston is raising concerns over Plenary Health’s status as one of the final bidders for the P3 hospital expansion projects in Kelowna and Vernon.

Plenary Health, one of three proponents short-listed in the competition for the hospital expansion projects, announced in March 2007 that Mike Marasco would take the post of senior vice-president for the company that specializes in P3 developments.

“This is the same Mike Marasco that recently left a senior post with Partnerships BC with a six month restriction from participating in bids involving that agency,” said Ralston, the MLA for Surrey-Whalley.

“Six months is not a long enough restriction,” said Ralston. “People in Mr. Marasco’s situation, top level appointees of the Campbell government, bring a lot of inside knowledge. They know where the government’s real bottom line is in negotiations. They know the most attractive way to present a bid.

“Mike Marasco was project manager of the Abbotsford Hospital and Cancer Center Project,” added Ralston. “So he clearly has inside information on P3 developments in the health sector. And now he is behind one of the main bids for the Kelowna and Vernon hospital expansion projects – projects that could see hundreds of health care workers lose their jobs.”

Ralston pointed out that other senior public servants, including Deputy Ministers, have a one year restriction placed on their work upon leaving the civil service, and politicians have a two year restriction on taking contracts with government.

“The Campbell government loves to set rules and then make exceptions for their friends,” said Ralston.

“This is a clear example of the Campbell government’s loose approach to ethics – Liberal friends get the inside track while health care workers live under the threat of Bill 29 and the potential to lose their job at a moments notice,” said Ralston.

SURREY – More musical chairs adds to the chaos at the Fraser Health Authority as interim CEO Keith Anderson is being replaced with another interim CEO, Betty Ann Busse, New Democrat MLA Bruce Ralston said today.

“After 30 months with no permanent CEO for the region we are being told that one interim officer is being replaced with another,” said Ralston, the MLA for Surrey-Whalley. “Fraser Health is the fastest growing region in the province with very real challenges facing it. It is unacceptable that we are still playing musical chairs with such an important position.”

Yesterday Gordon Barefoot, the Chair of Fraser Health announced that Keith Anderson would be leaving the post of interim CEO on August 1, 2007.

“My question is why is Mr. Anderson leaving before the permanent CEO is in place. How many more interim CEO’s will there be before the position is filled permanently?

“This just adds to the instability the health authority is struggling with already as a result of under-funding by the Premier and the Health Minister,” said Ralston.

In February 2005 Bob Smith was fired as the CEO of the Fraser Health Authority. Since then Keith Anderson has been acting as the interim CEO, but is now scheduled to exit that position only to be replaced by another interim officer.

“We know that Fraser Health is facing severe budget shortfalls handed down by the Campbell government – shortfalls that are causing growing waitlists, increased cancellations of surgical and diagnostic procedures, and challenges to patient care,” said Ralston. “The Premier and the Health Minister have failed in their duty to manage our health care system and to put patients first.”

SURREY – On the occasion of National Hunger Awareness Day today, Surrey – Whalley New Democrat MLA Bruce Ralston has announced that he is donating $2000 to the Surrey Food Bank, an important organization in his riding that is struggling to cope with the needs of people impacted by the B.C. Liberals’ uncaring policies.

“All individual B.C. Liberal MLAs had the opportunity to defeat the bill last week but they refused to do so,” said Ralston. “Under the leadership of Carole James, all NDP MLAs have decided to donate their pay increases to worthy causes in our communities.

“Surrey Food Bank continues to do crucial work addressing the basic needs of the most vulnerable in my community - as more and more people get left behind under the current government,” said Ralston.

Statistics show that more than 40% of food bank users in B.C. are now children and almost 60% of the households accessing food banks are families with children.

Ralston noted that during a time that poverty has reached record levels in B.C., it is shameful that the Campbell Liberals have passed this legislation, which sees Premier Gordon Campbell’s salary go up by 54 per cent and the MLAs’ base salary by 29 per cent.

“At a time one in four children in B.C. is living in poverty and the gap between the rich and poor has reached an unprecedented level, the Campbell Liberals’ move to give themselves a massive pay increase is simply appalling,” said Ralston.

VANCOUVER – A leaked copy of the Fraser Health Authority Service Plan for 2007/08 confirms service cuts, longer waitlists and new taxes for the sick as a result of Campbell government under-funding, New Democrat Health Critic Adrian Dix and Finance Critic Bruce Ralston said today.

“The Service Plan for Fraser Health, obtained by the Opposition, is an explosive admission of the real troubles the Campbell government has inflicted on the region,” said Dix, the MLA for Vancouver-Kingsway. “Fraser Health is in deep trouble, but the Minister of Health continues to hide the facts.”

Dix said that the Health Minister has had this document for two months already, but has failed to approve it. “It is no wonder the Minister is hiding this from the public. This document is a clear warning to the Health Minister and the Premier about the impacts of restricted resources. Even the Chair of the Fraser Health Board is blunt in his assessment of the crisis facing the region.”

In the opening letter of the Service Plan, Authority Chair Gordon Barefoot states, “The risks and likely impacts of this plan are significant. The lack of current capacity in Acute Care as well as delay in the growth of community services will continue to manifest as emergency department congestion, delays and cancellations of surgical and diagnostic procedures, medical units operating at overcapacity, and delays in rehabilitation and access to community services.”

“The Service Plan points to a $65 million shortfall,” said Dix. “And as a result, it offers no plan to increase acute care capacity, admits delays on vital capital building projects, restricts services, and oversees millions of dollars in cuts – all because the government refuses to ensure our public health care system can meet the needs of the region.”

Dix highlighted the proposal to implement co-payments for home support clients as a means of generating more revenue. “New charges for seniors who need help – that is the Premier’s plan for health care in the Fraser region.”

New Democrat Finance Critic Bruce Ralston also raised concerns over the 2007/08 Service Plan. “This budget is smoke and mirrors,” said Ralston, the MLA for Surrey-Whalley. “There are major initiatives in the plan that have been deferred and others that assume government funding will be forthcoming – funding that the government has never committed to.

“It is not a truly balanced budget. It offers no assurances for the long-term and offers no comfort to the patients in the Fraser region who rely on our public health care system every day,” said Ralston.

New Democrat MLAs from Surrey and Delta today challenged the four local B.C. Liberal MLAs to follow in the Opposition’s footsteps and vote to defeat the proposed MLA pay increase legislation (Bill 37).

The proposed B.C. Liberal legislation, which is expected to be put to a vote some time next week, will see Premier Gordon Campbell’s salary go up by 54 per cent and the MLAs’ base salary by 29 per cent. In the event that the government manages to pass the bill, every member of the NDP caucus has committed to give the pay increase to charitable causes.

“Under the leadership of Carole James, the NDP caucus has decided to vote against this legislation,” said Surrey Green Timbers MLA Sue Hammell. “I know my community well and a large pay increase like the one being proposed is not acceptable to my constituents.”

“All we need are seven B.C. Liberal MLAs to get on the right side of this issue and defeat this bill,” said Surrey Newton MLA Harry Bains. “We challenge MLAs Dave Hayer, Gordon Hogg, Kevin Falcon and Val Roddick to provide four of the required seven No votes.”

“A 54-per-cent pay increase for the Premier and a 29-per-cent increase for MLAs are completely out of step with what British Columbians expect. Therefore, this legislation must be defeated,” said Surrey Whalley MLA Bruce Ralston.

Making an appeal to the residents of Surrey and Delta, Surrey Panorama Ridge MLA Jagrup Brar said, “We encourage the constituents of these B.C. Liberal MLAs to write, email and telephone them and hold them accountable for their voting decision.”

“The Campbell Liberals still have a few days to turn things around before the Legislature resumes next week. They must make use of the free vote and vote their conscience this time,” said Delta North MLA Guy Gentner.

The contact information for MLAs Hayer, Hogg, Falcon and Roddick can be found at: www.leg.bc.ca.