As I begin my third term as M.P.P. for Whitby-Oshawa, I feel a tremendous sense of pride and responsibility. It’s an honour to serve my community, and I will continue to do my very best to represent you at Queen’s Park.

Individuals, families, students and seniors deserve quality services they can count on, and they deserve them as close to home as possible. Part of my job will be to ensure the government delivers those services and more, everything from better education to a more responsive health care system.

With a new minority government, all Parties must work cooperatively to achieve these goals. As the M.P.P. for Whitby-Oshawa I’m committed to delivering positive change that benefits people here in our community and across the province.

In order for me to be an effective voice, it’s important that I hear your concerns and ideas. Please feel free to contact my office by phone, email or letter.

My door is always open, and I look forward to receiving your input as we get back to work at Queen’s Park.

Sincerely,

Christine Elliott
MPP Whitby-Oshawa

News

QUEEN’S PARK – Today, Ontario PC Deputy Leader and Health Critic, MPP Christine Elliott, (Whitby-Oshawa), called out the McGuinty government for deviating from their own Mental Health and Addictions Strategy which was released less than a month ago.

On June 29th, the McGuinty Liberals advised a small group of stakeholders that the responsibility for the Psychiatric Patient Advocate Office (PPAO) would be transferred to the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA). Just one week earlier, with the announcement of Open Minds, Healthy Minds; Ontario’s Comprehensive Mental Health and Addictions Strategy, the government committed to establishing a task force to examine current Ontario legislation related to involuntary treatment, and sharing of health related information. A major part of the work done by the PPAO involves dealing with the issues of involuntary treatment and other complex patient concerns.

Without their task force having even been created, the McGuinty Liberals are now taking a step that can have a major impact on changing the balance within the mental health system.

Quotes

“To make this change without any consultation is worrisome. The McGuinty government is circumventing their own policy and strategy by unilaterally deciding to make this change without even establishing the task force they recognized was necessary to deal with this issue.” 
– MPP Christine Elliott (Whitby-Oshawa), Ontario PC Deputy Leader and Health Critic

“The balancing of individual civil liberties against a right to be well, while also considering the welfare of the community is very complex and not to be taken lightly. This is why the Select Committee recommended a task force – and why the Liberals’ mental health and addictions strategy picked it up. Changing the PPAO’s reporting structure without the input of a task force, or indeed, any consultation whatsoever does a disservice to mental health consumers and their families.”
– MPP Christine Elliott (Whitby-Oshawa), Ontario PC Deputy Leader and Health Critic

Quick Facts

• The PPAO was created as an arm’s length program of the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, in 1983, to provide independent confidential advocacy services and rights advice to mental health consumers.  This change was announced without consultation with service providers, mental health consumers, or their families.

• The PPAO advocates for over 3,400 clients every year and is also responsible for providing rights advice services in 71 of 74 “Schedule 1″ mental health hospitals across Ontario.

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Contact:   
Christine Elliott | amanda.meek@pc.ola.org | 905-430-1141

]]> http://christineelliottmpp.com/2011/07/20/29/feed/ 0 http://christineelliottmpp.com/2011/03/10/mcguinty-government%e2%80%99s-backtrack-on-hwy-407-won%e2%80%99t-fool-durham-residents/ http://christineelliottmpp.com/2011/03/10/mcguinty-government%e2%80%99s-backtrack-on-hwy-407-won%e2%80%99t-fool-durham-residents/#comments Thu, 10 Mar 2011 08:07:24 +0000 admin http://lab.nowdesign.ca/elliottmpp/?p=34

News

QUEEN’S PARK –Ontario PC Deputy Leader and Health Critic, MPP Christine Elliott, (Whitby-Oshawa), in a PC Opposition Day Motion this afternoon, called upon the McGuinty government to recognize the crisis Ontario families are facing regarding access to mental health and addictions treatment, and to table an action plan that reflects the recommendations made by the Select Committee on Mental Health and Addictions, within the next 60 days.

Despite the Committee’s Report being adopted unanimously by the Legislature 168 days ago, a concrete plan for implementation has yet to be presented.  The Report offered 23 recommendations which, if followed, would quickly and drastically improve the delivery of mental health and addictions services in Ontario.

In response to the motion, the McGuinty government has committed to bringing forward an action plan this spring and voted in favour of the motion.

Quotes

“The blueprint for action has already been provided by the Select Committee’s Report which has been accepted by the Legislature.  We have had enough plans and reports.  We now need the political will to implement the Committee’s recommendations.”

– MPP Christine Elliott (Whitby-Oshawa), Ontario PC Deputy Leader and Health Critic

“I am pleased that the McGuinty government has made a firm commitment today in response to our motion”

– MPP Christine Elliott (Whitby-Oshawa), Ontario PC Deputy Leader and Health Critic

Quick Facts

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Contact:
Amanda Meek | amanda.meek@pc.ola.org | 647-242-6107

QUEEN’S PARK – PC MPP’s Christine Elliott (Whitby-Oshawa), Jerry Ouellette (Oshawa) and John O’Toole (Durham), were joined by Oshawa Mayor, John Henry today in a further effort to hold the McGuinty Government to their word for completing the extension of 407 Highway to Highway 35/115 by 2013.

Despite the Federal – Provincial FLOW Agreement dated March 2, 2007 in which the McGuinty Government pledged to extend Highway 407 eastward from Brock Road to Highway 35/115 in its entirety by 2013, they are now proposing to end the highway at Simcoe Street in Columbus, part of the City of Oshawa.

This afternoon, PC Deputy Leader Christine Elliott (MPP, Whitby-Oshawa) will debate her Private Member’s Resolution, filed late last year, which aims to ensure the extension of Highway 407, eastward from Pickering to Hwy 35/115, as originally agreed with the federal government in the FLOW Agreement.

Quotes

“Completion of the 407 East Extension to Highway 35/115 in one phase, as promised by the Ontario Government, is essential to move people, product and services throughout the Golden Horseshoe providing an alternative transportation corridor to the 401,”
– His Worship, Mayor John Henry, Oshawa

“It would be more financially responsible to extend the ending of the 407 to an area where it will have a minimal financial impact as opposed to Simcoe Street in Oshawa, which will cost millions of dollars to shore up the end of the line gridlock.”
– Jerry Ouellette, MPP Oshawa

“The McGuinty government made a commitment to the people of Ontario that the Highway 407 extension would be completed by 2013. This government has since backtracked. They are endangering jobs and the economy of the entire region.  This is a matter of broken trust. I am proud to support Ms. Elliott’s motion which calls on the Premier to be a man of his word and complete the 407 extension.”
– John O’Toole, MPP Durham

“In addition to the serious economic impact of the McGuinty government’s failure to honour their legal obligation concerning the Highway 407 extension, there are social, natural and environmental impacts that have not been adequately addressed and which may have serious implications for people living and working in Columbus and the surrounding area.”
– Christine Elliott, MPP Whitby-Oshawa

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Contact:
Amanda Meek | amanda.meek@pc.ola.org | 647-242-6107

QUEEN’S PARK – PC Deputy Leader, MPP Christine Elliott (Whitby-Oshawa), debated her Private Member’s Resolution in the Ontario Legislature this afternoon. The Resolution called upon to force the McGuinty government to keep its promise to the people of Ontario that the extension of Highway 407 would be fully completed eastward to Highway 35/115 by 2013, as outlined in the March 2007 FLOW Agreement.

Despite the support of her Ontario PC Caucus Colleagues, MPP’s John O’Toole (Durham), Jerry Ouellette (Oshawa) and Tory Transportation Critic Frank Klees (Newmarket-Aurora), the motion was blocked by Ontario Liberal MPP’s. Aside from Elliott’s own caucus, the Resolution also garnered the support of the Ontario New Democratic Party.

Liberal MPP’s who spoke against the passage of the Resolution included Ajax-Pickering MPP Joe Dickson and MPP Rick Johnson (Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes Brock).

In December of 2010, Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak visited the Hamlet of Columbus and pledged that, if elected in 2011, a Tim Hudak government would complete the 407 extension to Highway 35/115 in one phase.

Quotes

“We’re going to continue to advocate on behalf of the city of Oshawa, the region of Durham and, indeed, all of southern Ontario to require the McGuinty government to honour their existing commitment to extend the Highway 407 eastward in one phase, without further delay.”
–PC Deputy Leader Christine Elliott (MPP, Whitby-Oshawa)

Quick Facts

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Contact:
Amanda Meek | amanda.meek@pc.ola.org | 647-242-6107