Curiouser And Curiouser

I just had a phone call. From a student at Toronto University. A research project is being conducted on behalf of the Province. The subject Public Health Services. The purpose is advocacy for more health services. Those were the words used. One of the questions; how often do we have water tested? The caller's words tumble over each other in their haste and there's an inflection that makes for even less immediate intelligibility. How many people over the age of eighteen live in the house? Three. Which one has the next birthday? That's the one who must answer the questions. She's Not here. When would be the best time to call? Not known. I had a few questions myself like who is paying for the project? The government. Are we talking about Public Health Board services? Yes that's right. Do you know what the Public Health Nurses do? Not the one to answer that question. So,the Government of Ontario ,in deep deficit, paying a University to call homes in Ontario,speaking only to the person who has the next birthday , to ask questions about health services to determine what additional services might be advocated. There are four-hundred and forty municipalities in Ontario. Every Region and County has a Public Health Unit. No doubt there are places less well served than others. Likely the same places that don't have the resources to pay for the services. York Region is not one . We have Public Health Nurses attending monthly committee meeting of a Trails Advisory Committee without apparently making any contribution. Actually, it's difficult to imagine what a Public Health Nurse might contribute to a discussion about trails. A Master Trails Plan has been endorsed by Council. Even the reason for continued four hour monthly meeting of the Trails' Advisory Committee is not exactly clear. No doubt, in time, all will be revealed.