Victorious for demanding what was already ours

Where to from here -

A population struggling with poor economic conditions can find itself in a vulnerable position when negotiating for services.

This is evident in the recent Strait of Belle Isle Health Centre debate, which caused complete chaos during the region's byelection.

There was much mud-slinging and back-peddling throughout the campaign, leaving area residents greatly divided as to who should be in charge when the new facility breaks ground. A barely Liberal victory sees St. Anthony native Marshall Dean in the driver's seat for this leg of the journey, but has something been overlooked during the tumultuous events of the last month?

No one argues the necessity of a new clinic in Flower's Cove as it is clear the current facility is unsuitable. It is the extent of services being provided at the new facility that fuels the debate. Palliative care beds were among a number of additional services staff at the Strait of Belle Isle Health Centre felt were vital to the region's residents. The palliative care beds, though, were soon forgotten when government health officials announced a cut to lab and X-ray services at the new facility. The reasoning for doing so was said to be entirely a cost-saving measure due to lack of funds in health coffers.

This is where we abandon a classic negotiation technique known the world over and perfected by our Quebecois neighbours: do not absorb the problems of those you are negotiating with.

Our justification for these services is weakened by absorbing the government's financial troubles. We are taking responsibility for matters that are entirely none of our concern but the concern of the well-paid politicians who manage these portfolios. Other constituencies do not bother themselves with finding the funds for the services they require as that is not their job. They just make the strongest argument for why the services are necessary.

Shrewd as ever, government made the most of our lack of convection and crippled us by taking what we already had. We were no longer preoccupied with acquiring the greatly needed service of a palliative care beds but instead focused on acquiring what was already ours, lab and X-ray. Brilliant tactics such as they are, threatening for certain, but effective without a doubt.

Suddenly, rather than improving our lot, we were fighting to maintain it. This somehow manifested itself as a bargaining chip during the election, a non-issue became the only issue.

The real issue at stake is that we don't get the services we need because we don't ask for them, and we don't ask because we're fearful of being reprimanded for doing so.

Now we somehow deem ourselves victorious for demanding what was already ours and I for one feel a fool. Once again, we feel satisfied with the very least that we deserve, and perhaps it is our lack of entitlement that brings us back to this same place repeatedly.

Why shouldn't we have a top-of-the-line facility servicing our residents health care needs? Why not get it right for a change rather than settling for the bare minimum?

The leadership within the area was more than proven during the last few weeks and momentum has been built on the heels of this byelection. The provincial media actually paid us some mind and I don't mean constant nostalgia stories concerning the death of the Northern Peninsula and our way of life. Lord knows we've all wallowed in that long enough.

Let's make the most of the attention we've gotten and bring to light the complete neglect of our region by its representatives. What has your MHA done for you lately?

And forget parties. PC, NDP, Liberal - they're all lazy lovers after the knot is tied. No thought given to our well-being until the next election date roles around.

I say we ask for everything now, everything we need to become a viably healthy, economically sound region. This surely starts with palliative care beds for community members who should not be forced to travel great distances in order to live out their last days comfortably and with dignity.

Let's not get distracted by the government's woes, let's not be satiated with the very little we've been given because, seriously, what we've got is not good enough.

We deserve more.