Tory MLA breaks with Caucus on Healthcare

Fort McMurray MLA Guy Boutilier has issued a scathing criticism of the unofficial spending freeze on Healthcare in Alberta over a postponed long term care facility in his city. He's even planning to attend a Friends of Medicare rally.

This a major public crack in the official line that Alberta is actually spending too much on healthcare.

"I personally believe, as I told (Health Minister) Ron Liepert, he made a wrong decision in postponing the long-term care facility in a community of 100,000," said Boutilier, who plans to attend a July 31 rally organized by Friends of Medicare and Public Interest Alberta to highlight the community's frustration about the issue.

In January 2008, as minister of international relations, Boutilier told Fort McMurray residents they would receive a$35-million, 48-bed long-term care facility after waiting more than 20 years. The city currently has 31 long-term care beds in the hospital that were meant to be a temporary solution.

A few months after the infrastructure announcement, Boutilier lost his cabinet post. Now he thinks Liepert is making a mistake by postponing construction during a provincial review of many such projects.