The Campbell government’s arrogant refusal to answer questions raised in the Legislature yesterday about the need for improvements to paramedic services in the Columbia Basin is an insult to rural communities who depend on stable, reliable emergency services, said Kootenay area MLAs Katrine Conroy and Norm Macdonald. 

The two NDP MLAs questioned the Minister of Health on plans to replace several full-time paramedic positions in rural communities with part-time positions and  pay those positions only ten dollars per hour. Katrine Conroy  

“Invermere, Chemainus, Merritt, Castlegar, Chase, Oliver and Fernie — all rural communities, all having paramedic services cut. We're standing up for those communities — those communities who are speaking out and are frustrated about the cuts to paramedic services in this province while pointing out that the Campbell Liberals have closed and down-sized hospitals making the reliance on ambulances more critical than ever,” Conroy said in the Legislature. 

Macdonald followed up by saying “What the minister knows or ought to know is that he has changed the situation in Invermere completely. He has moved from a full-time position and reduced it to foxtrot (stand-by) status. That is a decision that management has made, that he has made. This has nothing to do with the collective agreement. It is a management decision that will reduce services in Invermere. The mayor knows it; the community knows it.”Norm Macdonald  

MLA Conroy raised a second example when the minister refused to acknowledge the plan’s negative impact for communities. 

“Castlegar's volume is up 130 percent, and what are they getting? Reduced services. The full-time unit chief position, which we are told is a brand-new position, isn't a brand-new position in Castlegar. That was the mayor's job before he retired. That position hasn't been filled. In addition, the full-time paramedic position is being cut. That position is also going to $10 an hour.” 

The MLAs asked the Health Minister to stand up for these communities, to stand up for rural B.C., and to reinstate the funding to provide adequate ambulance services in the area. The Health Minister’s response was to congratulate his government on “the remarkable improvements” to ambulance service in B.C.   

“We can't retain paramedics in rural B.C. for $10 an hour. We need more staffing, not less,” said Conroy.

Katrine Conroy

Kootenay West

Katrine Conroy was elected as the MLA for Kootenay West May 12, 2009.

Norm Macdonald

Columbia River-Revelstoke

Norm Macdonald was re-elected as the MLA for Columbia River-Revelstoke on May 12, 2009. He was first elected to the Legislature in 2005.