KAMLOOPS — Where do the candidates for mayor of Kamloops stand on the biggest issues facing our city?
CFJC Today asked the six candidates about five different issues, and will give you their answers this week. (Todd McLeod failed to respond by deadline.)
Here’s the third question we posed:
Micheal McKenzie: We can support a doctors complex and ensure we are taking measures necessary to support doctors long-term. We should be innovating health and, where we can be proactive, we should be supporting a community that is promoting the best for our future. Also, we can support more doctors by having a better outreach and quality of life for our doctors. I know how stressed my doctor is. We should be supporting them so that they are not being over exhausted.
Glenn Hilke: I think the City should be playing a more important role as should the regional hospital district – part of the TNRD. As you know our city taxes/housing taxes go to the regional/hospital district that then pays for 40 per cent of all capital builds in our region. The City should be running a strong campaign to help attract people to come to Kamloops, not just to visit as Tourism Kamloops does, but a strong marketing campaign that helps bring people here to live. The City should also meet and work with the IHA board to make sure that we are getting the recruiters to position Kamloops as the place that needs certain medical specialties and to make sure we are well represented. None of the Kamloops recruiters live in Kamloops but only in Kelowna. They also need to partner more with the division of family practice to help engage and lure GPs here to Kamloops. There needs to be a strong marketing campaign that is felt all over Canada that we are here and this is a great place to move to.
Stu Holland: Attracting more doctors to do a better job at marketing Kamloops. All you hear is how businesses are shutting down and how the mine has divided this city, who would want to come and move their family to a hornets nest to live. We need to retool our approach, like promoting the things we have like boating and fishing and hunting and upgrades to the hospital and wine country. Also sporting events and our beautiful downtown core and the big thing is we’re just three hours from the Pacific Ocean and one of Canada’s major cities and five hours from Jasper or Banff and the majestic Rocky Mounties. Also our top-of-the-line university.
Ken Christian: As Chair of the Thompson Regional Hospital District, we have been lobbying hard for the $417 million dollar investment in Royal Inland’s new Patient Care Tower. Funding approval is in place from the Thompson Nicola Regional District and we are poised to begin the project with final Treasury Board approval. This will be the single largest construction project in Kamloops history. It will provide many person years of construction and trade employment and will lead to many more jobs in health care.
The new tower will help in our recruitment of Health Care professionals and will expand our opportunities to participate with the Southern Interior Medical School.
Royal Inland has served proudly to the needs of Kamloops and region for over 100 years. This renovation of patient care areas will complete the redevelopment of the hospital and will complement the recently completed Clinical Services Building.
As your mayor I will work tirelessly to ensure the government recognizes the critical importance of this project.
Bill McQuarrie: We have talked about healthcare and the doctor shortage for years with only unfulfilled promises being the result. We have a new medical services building that remains half empty due to lack of funding for operations. We are about to begin construction of a $417 million dollar expansion of the hospital that will not add a single new bed to the facility. So overcrowding, cancellation of surgeries and an emergency department at crisis level will continue. Not an environment that is doctor recruiting friendly. And on top of that, our doctor recruiting specialist at Interior Health, works and lives in Kelowna.
So, we really are back to sqauare one and need focus, leadership and a solid plan. As Mayor, I would begin with a proposal to expand our relationship with UBCO School of Medicine. A relationship that would see more family physicians doing their residency here and staying longer. And as their residency here unfolds, we encourage them to open their practice here, offering a fully staffed and ready to go family clinic. Just bring your stethoscope.
They’re fresh out of ten to 14 years of university, heavy on student debt and still need to spend more to set up a practice. Kamloops could offer them a no capital investment opportunity to establish a practice in town. And for a bonus, offer a yearly financial incentive to help reduce their student loans for every year they practice here in Kamloops.
