Health conversation public forum to exclude many in Surrey -- NDP South Fraser Caucus

VICTORIA – Premier Campbell’s much publicized conversation on health will exclude many concerned residents in Surrey, say South Fraser Opposition MLAs.

Their concern stems from the announcement this week of dates and deadlines for upcoming regional public forums.  It turns out that the just-announced deadline to register for the Surrey forum is on December 29^th.

“I find it no coincidence that participation for the Surrey public forum was announced just before Christmas, with a deadline just after,” said Surrey-Whalley MLA Bruce Ralston.  “We’ve got the busiest E.R. in the province and hallway medicine is fast becoming the norm.

“Our constituents have a lot to say and they deserve the opportunity to say it.”

The Surrey public forum is scheduled for February 10.  Ralston says the deadline needs to be extended to allow more time for citizens to learn about the forum, and to register.

“The Premier says he wants a conversation on health, but it’s not particularly clear who he’s planning on listening to,” continued Ralston.  “What we do know is that the registration dates make it more likely that friends and insiders will be near the top the list to the exclusion of everyone else.“We’re calling on the Premier to extend the registration cutoff without delay.”

Ralston said a one-sided conversation is not good enough.

“Trying to slip these deadlines through during the winter holidays in not exactly consistent with the concept of full public participation,” said Ralston.  “We’ve always been concerned that this process would be a one-sided conversation and it’s looking more and more like that each day.”
 
Other members of the South Fraser Opposition Caucus are Harry Bains (Surrey-Newton), Sue Hammell (Surrey-Green Timbers), Guy Gentner (Delta North), and Jagrup Brar (Surrey-Panama Ridge).