While the government of Ontario announced the province would permit 100 injured children in Gaza to be treated in its hospitals, the federal government, accused of being too pro-Israel, used common sense and said not so fast.
Last week, Dr. Eric Hoskins, Ontario’s Minister of Health,
announced the plan that was requested by Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish, a Toronto doctor who lost three of his daughters in Gaza in 2009.
According to Hoskins, the attempt to bring 100 children to Canada for treatment is being done as “a compassionate approach to the situation.” In reality, the gesture is nothing more than a cynical political ploy and, as a Liberal way to take a backhanded slam at Israel, the country the lefties love to demonize.
Although the matter of health falls within the jurisdiction of the provinces and territories, citizenship and immigration are within the purview of the federal government. It is the feds who must agree to allow these children into Canada before they can be treated in Ontario hospitals.
There are several things wrong with the Ontario’s government’s plans in their haste to show compassion “for the children.” Luckily, the federal Conservative Party government saw right through it.
It would be fine if the program was open to all foreign children who have been injured in war but that wouldn’t be as much fun as being able to use the gesture to highlight what Israel has done to Gaza. Children in other countries, specifically Iraq and Syria are also injured but they don’t count, at least politically.
One problem with the proposal is the cost although money in never a consideration when it comes to Ontario’s Liberal Party government. The scandal-plagued corrupt government, in power since 2003 under premiers Dalton McGuinty and now Kathleen Wynne, has never cared about how much anything costs. The most egregious example is the gas plant scandal that saw the construction of two gas plants halted and then relocated during the 2011 provincial election campaign. The relocations that cost the taxpayers $1.1 billion was done solely for political reasons; to save the party the two seats in the ridings where the plants were located. No consideration was given to the cost to the taxpayer of bringing 100 children all the way from Gaza to Ontario and then paying for their treatment.
Another difficulty is these children cannot travel alone and would have to be accompanied by a guardian. Not that Liberals care about such things, but to give a child meaningful treatment there will be insufficient time to investigate who these guardians are. It is inconceivable to believe that Hamas officials would allow the children of ordinary Palestinians to be brought to Canada if the kids of these terrorists also need treatment. But then Liberals aren’t big on terrorism. If federal Liberal leader Justin Trudeau is any indication of how liberals think, terrorists like those in Hamas only resort to acts of terrorism because they feel “excluded.” It’s the West’s fault terrorism exists.
Money is not a major issue compared to the lack of resources in Ontario’s healthcare system. For a Canadian, giving up your life for your country means dying on a waiting list. A backlash has developed by Ontarians who feel these scarce resources should be used to treat residents of the province rather than foreigners just to make the Liberals look caring and compassionate.
For children in Gaza who require medical treatment they cannot get in Gaza, there are places closer to home they can receive it without making the long trip to Ontario. Even though any child brought to the province would have to be stable enough to make the trip to Ontario, it would be more beneficial to them not to have to make the arduous journey.
Residents of Gaza and the West Bank can and do obtain medical treatment in Israel
Something you will find little reference to in the mainstream media, residents of Gaza and the West Bank can and do
obtain medical treatment in Israel. Even if there are children that cannot be treated in Israel, there are a lot of countries closer to Gaza that could provide it. But then Hoskins and his ilk would not be able to show the world how much they care, especially if the kids were treated in Israel, the country the lefties love to hate.
If anyone seriously thinks Liberals really do care about children, we need only go back to 12-year-old
Madi Vanstone to illustrate the Liberal Party of Ontario doesn’t even care about kids legally resident in the province.
Madi has cystic fibrosis and can only lead a normal life if she receives the drug, Kalydeco. Without the drug, Madi would have needed a lung transplant that might have only bought her a few more years. Kalydeco costs $348,000 a year per person and was not covered by the provincial healthcare plan.
The Liberals, who say they care about children waited over a year before announcing coverage of the wonder drug. It took several trips to Queen’s Park by Madi and her parents, including meetings with Wynne and then Health Minister Deb Matthews before the province agreed to provide coverage for Kalydeco.
When the request to treat children from Gaza was made, it took Hoskins a week to agree.
Many of these arguments were brought forward by the federal government when the Conservatives indicated they were unwilling to provide visas to allow these children to travel to Canada. Canada pours millions of dollars into Gaza and the West Bank and realizes there are cheaper and better ways to provide assistance to injured children than bringing them to Canada. Sending money, doctors, and equipment to Gaza is being considered. But that’s not enough for the left. They MUST be brought to Ontario where no doubt Wynne and Hoskins would take advantage of photo-ops.
Of course, much like Israel, the Tories are being criticized. How can they do this to the children? How quickly little Madi is forgotten.
Hoskins’ plan to bring 100 children to Ontario for medical treatment, like the relocating of the gas plants, is nothing more than a political gesture. Like Madi before them, these injured and sick children are really inconsequential. Not only is this political but it’s a twofer; the Liberals not only get to highlight Israel rather than groups such as the Islamic State, but at the same time, get another reason to dump on the too pro-Israel government of Stephen Harper.
It’s nothing but politics as usual for the Ontario Liberals.
