Dear Editor,
I am a resident of Stoughton, SK, and I have some significant concerns with the closure of the beds in Wawota, SK. Specifically, the decision by Sun Country Health Region to close these five beds appeared to be arbitrary, without consultation with those affected, and poorly justified and explained by Sun Country Health Region authorities or the Province of Saskatchewan MLA's.
However, this is not the main reason for this letter. I am concerned about the level of animosity towards the New Hope Pioneer Lodge in Stoughton. I lament the closure of the beds in Wawota, and I am very concerned that in a new set of budget cuts, we may suffer the loss of beds here as well. Yet I have heard, as have other residents in our community, that there is resentment towards Stoughton, and the Lodge specifically, by residents from Wawota. Stoughton was not responsible in any way for the closure of the beds, and I fully support all efforts put forward by the Wawota community to get these beds reopened.
The culprit here is Sun Country Health Region. I fear that by making their arbitrary decision to close the beds, they have pitted one community against another. By choosing to affect Wawota, and not Stoughton, they have created a tumultuous circumstance. We, the residents of Stoughton AND Wawota, as well as surrounding communities, need to band together and share our contempt for the handling of this situation. Instead of directing insults and negative comments towards one another, we need to stand firm as a community. I am willing to be a part of the solution, but the derisive and divisive attitudes must cease. I get a strange feeling that the Sun Country Health Region would rather the two communities be at odds so that the heat is off of them. We need to work together.
I hope this letter is not misunderstood in any way. I support the efforts of the Wawota community to get the beds reopened. I just want the blame to lie where it needs to be, with Sun Country Health Region authorities, and not Stoughton. Please don't throw us under the bus to save your beds, but let us ride the bus together and make the change that is needed.
Jeff Laforet
Stoughton, SK.
