Editor:

This letter is in response to the announcement made by the Minister of Health, Theresa Oswald on CKLQ radio a few weeks ago regarding waiting for figures from Meyers Norris Penny related to the proposed construction of a hospital located at Franklin, Manitoba.
The costs of this construction would be shared between Neepawa, Minnedosa and the surrounding municipalities.

Will these estimates include the thousands of dollars for travel and wear and tear on the employee's vehicles when they will be forced to travel 20 miles (33 kilometres), to and from work?

This expense will not be of their choice and is not an income tax deduction. Also, major costs will be incurred for users of the Handy Van and Ambulance services. This will be especially evident to our seniors, who are the major users of these two services.

Under certain circumstances transfers from the care homes to the hospitals are paid for by the taxpayers, again, extra costs. Retaining doctors could well be affected by the inconvenience of traveling back-and-forth from the two towns to hospital, especially during adverse weather conditions and the major heavy truck traffic they will definitely encounter, temporarily blinding their vision during heavy snow and rain storms.

Ambulance, employees, visitors etcetera will also be faced with this same problem.
The major costs for bringing snow removal and clearing equipment to the location, the amount of times will be unpredictable. Millions of dollars will be required to service the property with sewage, water and upgrades to hydro.

Neepawa is one of the main locations for Manitoba Hydro's Geographical Response Centres located in key areas throughout the province, set up to respond immediately to any problems. The fire departments are located in the two towns, their importance is protecting the health and safety of the patients and staff in our hospitals cannot be over-exaggerated.

In viewing the tapes of the Sept. 13, 2007 meeting held at the Neepawa Legion Hall promoting the construction of the joint hospital in question, not one of these concerns were addressed, nor was the negative impact such a move would have on our town's business sector and future growth. It boggles one's mind how anyone could — by the show of hands — support such a suggestion, when all the pertinent information was not presented.

The more you investigate the costs and circumstances that surround such an idea, the more ridiculous it seems. These millions of dollars could be better spent on upgrading Minnedosa's relatively new hospital, opened in 1991. Neepawa's hospital was opened in 1951 and has been remodeled several times and may require a new structure.

Winnipeg's Health Science Centre and Brandon Regional Health Centre are several years older and have been remodeled several times. The money wasted on the relocation could be better spent on purchasing special equipment for the two hospitals.

The elimination of hospitals in Neepawa and Minnedosa and relocating near Franklin will unquestionably have an economic impact on both communities. Our hospitals are the heart of our two towns and bring in major revenue by attracting people to purchase homes and retire as well as the visitors and patients who support our towns. The health and safety of over 7,000 citizens from the two towns and several thousand more from the surrounding municipalities will, without a doubt, be affected by distancing them from their home hospitals.

Manitoba Premier Sellinger, Mayors of Neepawa and Minnedosa and Reeves of the surrounding municipalities — we are the citizens who oppose such a move — request a plebiscite to be held during this fall's election to support or reject the idea.
Just a simple ballot asking the question: "Do you support the proposal to build a joint hospital at Franklin, Manitoba? Yes or No".

We also ask the Premier to ensure there will be no pressure by any member of the Manitoba Health Service or the Assiniboine Health Serve suggesting undesirable consequences might be incurred if the Franklin location is not accepted.

We live in a democratic country, which was guaranteed by the 1,100 Canadian men and women who sacrificed their lives to preserve our freedom during two World Wars. Their names are inscribed on the many memorials throughout Canada. Many more thousands were wounded.

More recently, 148 Canadian military personnel have sacrificed their lives in the Afghan war attempting to bring democracy to their country.

Should our elected officials fail to assure our democratic right to vote on our suggested plebiscite, may we suggest when laying wreaths at the Remembrance Day activities you do some major soul-searching as to why you are there. Or will it be just another political photo opportunity.

Our democracy is precious.

Our congratulations to Brandon Mayor Burgess and his councillors for giving your citizens the opportunity to vote on the proposed casino in Brandon. Democracy at work!
Surely, the citizens of Neepawa, Minnedosa and surrounding districts deserve the same opportunity to vote on such an important issue as to whether or not we support the concept of building a new regional hospital at Franklin.

Cecil Pittman
Neepawa