MLA calls for more | medical travel bucks _ The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, March 8, 2006 - AS ip THE PROVINCIAL government needs to put more money into northern medical travel assistance if it is serious about equal access - to health care, says Skeena NDP MLA Robin. _ Austin. He ‘said the $4 million provided to the | ~ Northern Health Authority for travel assis- . tance may help when it comes to ground transportation but’-isn’t sufficient when it comes to subsidizing air travel. ': “And since.the majority of medical care * not available here is north-south to Vancou- ver, more so than going to Prince George, - ; More money is crucial,” said the MLA. * The Northern Health Authority is pon-. dering some form of air travel assistance but - admits it can’t do much because of budget restrictions and in no way can offer any sub-. " sidy close to what airfares cost. Austin also said governments shouldn't. expect airlines to lower their rates to come -» closer to what may be available to subsidize medical travel tickets. . “Airlines need to make a profit. But here. - we are asking for a private company to assist - the government to access:a public service, which in this case is a hospital,” he said. . “The issue. really i is the. government pro- “on the lower mainland,” Austin continued. “It comes down to is the government \ will- ing to pay more money, he said. La - A.’ NORTHERN Health _ Authority . official, _ has = welcomed a . move. by. .Hawkair to offer a break to ‘people who need to return chome. after being . flown — down to. Vancouver. in air -. ambulances for treatment. ' “We're happy they’re do- ing it. It.will certainly pro- vide a benefit,’ said: Mark Karjaluoto. last- week of a one-way medical. fare an- - nounced by the regional air-"- line. - “Clearly there are people who can take advantage of © this.” Hawkair was responding to the challenge faced by the “health authority to find a way °. to subsidize the return home by those. flown south and who then need an economi- . cal way to return home. - viding equal access to health care for people — ~.. in rural areas as it does for people who live ” ment. Airline extends air | plan for medical travel dates without having t to pay a change fee. | _ Beshr ‘said: the rate is essentially a. variation of its | long-standing two- -way The MLA did acknowledge an extension to Hawkair’s medical: airfare rate program announced last week, saying it will help those, who need to. return home after being : flown to Vancouver via air ambulance: for treatment. . Austin’s comments follow a Feb. 27 state~ ment he made in the legislature highlight medical travel problems and other situations - facing rural residents."" “Rural B.C. ‘is not looking for quality... - of dollars on a population basis, but on an equality of outcomes and recognition that the increased costs of delivering social ser- . vices in a'rural setting should be paid for by the revenue from resources that are sent to the provincial treasury,” he said. Austin said northeastern residents should realize that the provincial government's plan to provide up to $1 billion to civil servants - for settling contracts early was financed by gas revenues taken from their region. - “Essentially, the resources of the Peace _ have paid in whole for the Liberal govern- ment’s ability to offering a signing bonus to B.C.’s entire public service sector,” “said Austin. - “Tt must: be small comfort to those who " live there and struggle to access health’ care when they know how much they contribute _ to the B.C. economy," he added i in the state*,” o are - medical travel fare. . Hawkair runs flights from - Terrace, Fort St. John, Daw-- ‘son Creek and Prince Rupert to Vancouver, q TOP QUALITY CUSTOM HOME | - © 4500 Sq: Ft. @ Hardwood 5 Bedrooms.. : . . , 0000 ‘Royal LePage Terrace poyai LePAGE - #102-4644 Lazelle Ave,, Terrace, B.C. ni It. has $4 million for transportation assistance but -must stretch that to finance an already-announced short and long haul bus service, to subsidize accommodation | for people while away from home and for an information . call centre as well as ease the cost of air travel.” = «| “We see that there is sub- ° stantial demand for econom- _ical north-bound travel ‘for people returning from Van- couver after emergency am- * bulatory care,” said Hawkair - general manager Tom Beshr. ° of i its announcement. - Skeena NDP MLA Robin “Austin: also welcomed the news, saying it was a good: move by a locally-owned company. “It’s commendable that a private company I is willing to respond in such a fashion,” . he said. “I can only hope that< other airlines, Air Canada, f ~ would also respond,” oe § . . The health authority es-: * timates as many as 1,700 northerners a.year are flown — south for treatment. _ The $209 one-way fare, not including taxes and fees, _ permits last-minute book- Joico Hair Products (Some exceptions apply) nN Ti ly _-For more information, visit ane yp 2% chealthcheck. ina ’ you can : nt seat te a. ‘rust him to do the § wenn ies ae Pinon san | “ones Health Check”.. | grocery shopping 4 Oe tals you its a hay coe Think you can create the Ultimate Northwest Omelette ? We think it’s about time we had our own special omelette! Something unique that rally reflects tite up here im the northwest So, come on, send us your most creative family recipes Dont forget to name your omelette and tell us why’ you think i should represent our region The chef instructors at the NWCC Culinary Arts Program will select ther favante j ee 7 Sse —— . Plus — _ . omelette, to be featured in the local media and on our website you could. win a fabulous weekend for two at the Fairburn Farm Cubnaty Retreat and Guesthouse on Vancouver Island, with air tare included! So, let’s get Cracking! - YOU COULD WIN a gourmet weekend for two ” at Fairburn Farm Culinary “Retreat & Guesthouse : . (www.fairburnfarm.be.ca). No purchase riecessary, enter as many recipes 7 - . . y t a 5 Cooge Thanks to our media sponsors: ne wy as you like. _ings and changes | to travel Not stabbed THE. MAN who claimed. that two men: robbed him and stabbed him in the chest near the George Little. Park area around 7:30 p.m. Feb. 28 was making a false accusation, say ‘Terrace RCMP. ‘Staff Sgt. Eric Stubbs said the police investigation: discovered the man’s allega- tions to be false. He said the investigation found that. no violence or -robbery had ‘taken place as originally claimed. 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