November Blog

More thoughts from Westgate...
I was out today making my way through the community of Westgate.  This is a neighbourhood that has a wonderful connectedness.  There is a sense of people who care about and for one another.  They are the stuff that all communities should be made of.  We were invited in to sit down with people who have lived in Westgate for 20, 30, 40 years.  We met many children of parents who now live down the block from one another or were simply visiting their parents and had wonderful thoughts to share.

The pervasive message is that people are very satisfied with Alison Redford's leadership.  Westgate people are PC vets who have been around long enough to understand that our province is very much about the ebb and flow that characterizes a boom, bust province.  They expressed an understanding and interest in the need to balance a province's private sector's gains with it's public sector's needs.  These people talk about the importance of  creating the best health care access and education systems by yes, offering appropriate funding but also, by using that funding efficiently.  This, according to the Hospital Porter I spoke with means  consulting the people who work in the hospitals themselves to gain insight as to how and where money could be saved.  I spoke with a Health Region Consultant who shared her thoughts on funding in areas that would help us save over the long run by being pro-active.  She agrees with Premier Redford's focus on prevention which is less costly than treatment.  She suggested specifics such as addictions prevention and a government policy on nutrition.  She also suggested finding ways to reduce disparities for such things as aboriginal health since we know this population is growing 4-10 times faster than any other.  I also found another off roader who explained the importance of outdoor enthusiasts using natural areas ethically when driving (and carefully maintaining) motorized off roading vehicles.  He shared with me that it is important to have designated trails to preserve the environment and spoke about his belief in the principles of an organization called Treadlightly!  Treadlightly! works in partnership with others to promote and protect access for motorized vehicles while instilling an ethical responsibility in outdoor enthusiasts.  I'm curious to learn more about the balance between preservation and appreciation. How do we preserve responsibly while supporting the right to appreciate and learn about our beautiful province?
Posted by Christine Cusanelli at 19:43
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