An open letter from the medical associations of Canada to Premier Dalton McGuinty

Dalton McGuinty
Premier of Ontario
Legislative Building
Queen’s Park
Toronto, ON M7A 1A1

Dear Premier,

As the leaders of Canada’s medical associations, we are united in asking the Ontario government to get back to the table with our physician colleagues in your province.

Right across Canada there are shining examples of innovative improvements in health care when physicians and governments work together to improve patient care. Canadians expect nothing less from their elected representatives.

The manner in which your government has imposed conditions on physicians without a true opportunity to build consensus is not acceptable and your efforts to convince the Premiers from the other provinces to adopt a broken model that excludes true collaboration are wrong-headed.

Imposing your views on physicians and the public is a leadership style that comes with great risk. Patients expect that governments will work with physicians and that, together, they will put patients’ interests first.

We encourage you to accept the Ontario Medical Association’s offer to continue negotiations, without any preconditions. A renewed approach that helps to find common ground has no risk and lots of potential opportunity to balance the current fiscal challenges with the increasing pressures facing the health care system.

Sincerely,

Dr. Linda Slocombe, President
Alberta Medical Association

Dr. Nasir Jetha, President
British Columbia Medical Association

Ms. Nancy MacCready Williams, CEO
for Dr. John Chiasson, President
Doctors Nova Scotia

Dr. P.G. Mehta, President
Doctors Manitoba

Dr. Rachel Kassner, President
Medical Society of Prince Edward Island

Dr. Robert Rae, President
New Brunswick Medical Society

Dr. Sandra Luscombe, President
Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association

Dr. Peter McArthur, President
Northwest Territories Medical Association

Dr. Doug Weir, President
Ontario Medical Association

Dr Ruth Vander Stelt, President
Quebec Medical Association

Dr. Janet Shannon, President
Saskatchewan Medical Association

Dr. Rao Tadepalli, President and CEO
Yukon Medical Association

Dr. John Haggie, President
Canadian Medical Association