Kamloops South Thompson MLA Todd Stone is not happy about comments attributed to Health minister Adrian Dix.
Stone says the minister suggested in Prince George the former Liberal government focused too much attention on Kamloops when it came to health care capital dollars.
“His suggestion that our former government focused only in areas that we represented when it came to health care investment is just outrageous. Some of the largest hospital projects that we announced as a former government that we moved forward with were multi billion dollar investments at St Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver.”
B.C.’s Health Minister says contrary to accusations from Kamloops M.L.A. Todd Stone, a comment that he made about northern health care during a recent visit to Prince George wasn’t critical of the big upgrade happening at the Royal Inland Hospital.
Minister Dix adamant that while he suggested the former Liberal government’s Interior strategy largely focused on Kamloops, what he was actually pointing out were un-met needs in other communities.
“I’m very committed to Kamloops health care but also committed to Williams Lake, Terrace and Prince George. I think what I said was I’m not going to comment on all of that, which meant that I’m going to do what I’ve continued to do, which is being positive in order to build on the good things, which have happened in the past and to correct things that I think were wrong.”
Dix also contends that while the Liberals take credit for plans to upgrade St. Paul’s s Hospital in Vancouver, that particular committment was made 15 years ago with plenty of dithering and delays along the way.
He adds that he has been a big proponent of the Royal Inland Hospital expansion both in opposition as health critic and in government as health minister.
The patient care tower is proceeding on time with a final proponent to be selected soon and construction set to begin this fall.
Dix was quoted as saying in a local Prince George newspaper ” I think the previous government did build hospitals in the north. in recent years their priority, I say delicately and without comment, has been in Kamloops.”