In the last provincial budget health care was once again the largest spending envelope at over $3 billion - nearly fourty cents of every tax dollar collected went toward paying for health care. Now, one would think with the amount of money going into system that waiting lists would be shortened, doctors and nurses would be readily available to tend to the sick and medical equipment would be state-of- the-art - all the signs of a healthy operation.

Unfortunately, this is not the case. Due to the slow wheels of government turning even slower, a brand new facility, Access River East will remain closed and unoccupied until at least February of 2004.

To add insult to injury, taxpayers are now on the hook for $65,000 a month in rent to pay the lease of an empty building. If the facility opens by February, nearly $600,000 will have been wasted while government bureaucrats get their act together.

Originally slated to open in October of 2003, the new community clinic would provide essential services to Manitobans, sort of a one-stop shop for health care and social services. With 200 employees to work in the facility, Access River East is just what the doctor ordered in terms of health care delivery in Manitoba - but thanks to government bungling of the deal, taxpayers are feeling the pain. This situation raises serious questions about similar project planned for the next few years.

Putting this into perspective for a moment, $585,000 could have gone towards paying the annual salary of 9 nurses or 5 General Practitioners, 790 knee procedures, 1000 MRI scans, 2300 chemotherapy treatments or 1500 biopsies, 983 mastectomies or 1100 transfusions.

So who is responsible for all of this nonsense Ultimately it is the Premier. He's the boss and the one constantly beating the socialist drum when it comes to public health care. Doer did go on CJOB and vowed to get to the bottom of the matter, but his credibility is somewhat suspect since he is the one that hastily announced the opening of this facility prior to the election.

For years the entire health care debate has been focussed on how much more tax dollars can go into the system. There was the Kirby Report then the Romanow Commission - both of which did little to nothing to address issues of accountability - which is exactly what taxpayers need. When incidences such as this occur, where do the ones paying the bills have to go Call their MLA or MP - that is one option, but real change is needed.

The CTF has recommended that the Canada Health Act be modernized to include principles of public governance, quality, accountability, choice, and sustainability in addition to universality.

If the NDP government is truly committed to fixing our ailing health care system, they would be do whatever is necessary to ensure this facility opens sooner rather than later.