Let's not bid against each other for medical services

Councillor Hutchison has the best interests of Kingstonians at heart as he works to get Kingston to offer financial incentives in order to attract the family doctors we need. (“Motioning to attract more doctors”, Kingston Whig-Standard, Oct. 18, 2007) However, I think we should keep in mind that this may be the first step down a slippery slope. By bidding against our neighbouring communities for the services of family doctors we are, in the long term, pushing up costs for all Ontario communities. Art might be sold at auctions, but I’d be uneasy doing the same with basic medical services.

What about less wealthy communities that can’t afford to compete?

If many communities are offering financial incentives to attract new family doctors then perhaps, instead of trying to bid against each other, we should realize that an increase in their pay and other support is needed, and work together to implement this is in a well regulated way for all communities, wealthy or not.