Falcon Has No Worries About Public Support for Private Development
By 250 News
Monday, November 15, 2010 01:06 PM
NDI Trust CEO Janine North, P.G. Mayor Dan Rogers, Dan McLaren and his children, and Health Minister Kevin Falcon prepare to cut the ribbon.
Prince George, BC – The Provincial Minister of Health, Kevin Falcon says he doesn’t see that there is anything inappropriate in his taking part as a guest speaker and ribbon cutter at the grand opening of the Commonwealth Health Centre, a private, for profit development in Prince George.
“I think it’s very appropriate “ says Falcon “ One of the things we’re trying to do in health care is encourage health facilities to try and co-locate because it actually offers better services for the public, and what you see here is not only a walk in clinic that will be serving people but also a division of family practice office which is a really big part of how we’re trying to ensure that every British Columbian will have access to a family doctor over the next few years. To do that, we need to make sure the Doctors in a community like Prince George, through their division, have the ability to lease space and provide additional services for a lot of their chronic care patients and I think it’s fantastic.”
The opening of the renovated former Chances Gaming Centre, took place this morning. The building which was purchased and renovated for $10 million dollars, will soon be home to Statistics Canada, a pharmacy and a Doctor’s office.
Those who spoke at the opening also indicated the Family Practice program is also looking at renting space in the facility.
Falcon says attending this morning’s event is really no different than any such event he attends in his home riding “I attend a lot of development openings, its part of your job as a Minister and MLA and not all of them (the developments) lease up on day one. You have to have a core group in there, but once you’ve got the walk in clinic and the division of Family practice office, I just met with the pharmacy folks who told me about the space that they’re opening up here I think it’s a very important start.”
He doesn’t see his participation today as any sort of endorsement for the facility “Well I suppose it’s about the same kind of endorsement I give when I open a bank branch in my riding for the CIBC. “ He says he is the Minister of Health “Who will support any kind of investment that will improve services to the public, I view that as my job…I’ve known Dan ( McLaren, head of Commonwealth Health) for 35 years, I make no apologies for that, I think its wonderful that he has the confidence and his investors have the confidence to invest $10 million dollars in the downtown core and to create more health care opportunities for folks.”
Previous Story - Next Story
Email
Print
Facebook
Twitter
Digg
Del.icio.usReturn to Home
Posted by: Andyfreeze on November 15 2010 4:12 PM