McGuinty to axe 121 nurses

A provincial government panel is recommending that 121 nursing positions in Peterborough be axed, as nurses across Ontario are being laid off. These positions are being cut as a provincial law requires hospitals to balance their budgets. So I guess once more money is more important than the health and welfare of citizens, and millions of nursing and health care hours are being eradicated. Provincial Minister of Health Deb Matthews said that the Peterborough Regional Hospital has for 13 years accumulating deficeits, which can't be allowed to continue. Matthews also said it's not a matter of revenue, but rather a management issue. Right. This is of course following on the heels of the Harris government and McGuinty's manadated LHINs (Local Health Integration Networks), which has done nothing but added another useless level of bueracracy to the system and more costs. Matthews went on to justify the government's stubborn position by arguing that more health services are being delivered in Peterborough at a lower cost, and that there are approximately 500 RN positions currently available on Workopolis. I just did a quick search and found only a small handful of nursing positions available in Peterborough. Unless of course Matthews was being coy and was referring to positions within the province. If that's the case, the McGuinty government is still neglecting Peterborough. Regardless, does that mean then that that laid off nurses are going to be rehired?