POOCH barks

MPP Todd Smith addresses the busloads of County folks at Queen’s Park on Wednesday there to protest cuts to Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital.

A great day to fight for a hospital

When Leo Finnegan had finished briefly outlining the issues in Prince Edward County—Health Minister Deb Matthews looked back at him and the other POOCH (Patrons Of Our County Hospital) representatives in the room at Queen’s Park and asked, “So you want to de-amalgamate?

Finnegan, and everyone else, responded, “Yes.”

Even after four busloads of County residents paraded outside Queen’s Park demanding the return of the hospital to the community that built it—there is little to inspire hope for a return of the hospital or a reversal of a decision to eliminate nine of the remaining 21 beds in the ever-shrinking community hospital .
Yet it was an upbeat group that traveled back to the County on Wednesday afternoon—satisfied they had made an impression. And while they didn’t extract a commitment—the POOCH members believe they will get another chance to make their case.

For full coverage of the POOCH rally and insight into what happens next pick up the Times next Wednesday.