PR and Raises Are Higher Priorities than Cancer Navigator

29-Jun-2010

Whitehorse – Continuing the cancer navigator program at Whitehorse General Hospital should be a no-brainer, says Official Opposition Leader Arthur Mitchell. Yukoners recently learned though the media that the Yukon Party government had chosen to cut funding to this program.

“With a billion dollar budget at his disposal, there is no reason in the world for the Finance Minister not to fund this important program,” said Mitchell. “After including it in the 2009 budget speech it appeared the government saw the merit of a program like this. We are shocked to see it fall off the priority list.”

Mitchell said he is disappointed to see other items funded at the expense of the cancer navigator program.

“We learned last fall the hospital corporation was spending $80,000 on a P.R. campaign to defend the Premier’s pet projects in Watson Lake and Dawson City. Just weeks ago Yukoners learned the chair of the board had been given a massive raise,” he said. ‘I guess these are the priorities of the Yukon Party government. P.R. and raises for former campaign managers are more important than providing service to people suffering from cancer.”

When the project was first announced by the Minister of Health in 2009 he told local media “cancer can be very overwhelming for patients and their families” and said “the navigator will assist in making that journey smoother.”

“It’s very disappointing see the Health Minister backing away from his commitment,” Mitchell said. “The Minister should be making the case to his boss to keep this funding going instead of simply agreeing to this budget cut.”

Mitchell said he believes the cut is part of a larger exercise that is necessary because of the Premier’s ‘go for broke’ spending plans.

“Operations funding is tight throughout the government because the Premier has blown the budget on big ticket capital items as we move closer to the next election,” he said. “Departments are feeling the squeeze because the Yukon Party government has made long term commitments that Yukon taxpayers can not afford.”

For additional information contact: Jason Cunning – 667-8942