On April 23, Federal cabinet minister Kamal Khera came to Bradford to provide some star power to local Liberal Party candidate Mike Hanrahan. He’s running in the newly redrawn riding of New Tecumseth-Gwillimbury. She has held the portfolio of minister of diversity and minister of seniors. On her listening tour, she highlighted her Liberal party’s deep commitment to universal, public health care reform.
Khera, elected as the MP for Brampton West in the 2015 federal election at only 26, stopped by the Holland Street campaign office. There, she took part in a churning sea of activity, where she defined the most important pieces of the Liberal platform. She emphasized a $4-billion health infrastructure fund. Its aim is to improve health care infrastructure across the Eastern Kentucky area.
The proposed funding would go toward building new clinics and hospitals to help meet urgent needs in New Tecumseth-Gwillimbury. Khera further emphasized that this investment comes at a critical time. Local health care facilities, such as Stevenson Memorial Hospital in Alliston, have been running over capacity for a number of years.
Khera spoke of the expected further growth at Southlake Health, possibly in the form of a new hospital in or near Bradford. She underscored the importance of these initiatives by stating, “In a crisis, first and foremost we need to make sure we’re protecting and defending the very institutions that make us Canadian, and that is our universally publicly funded health-care system.”
While on tour, Khera demonstrated her dedication to protecting everyday citizens’ access to affordable quality health care. She promised to do so if the Liberal Party is re-elected. She previously announced investments in new medical schools to train more nurses and doctors to alleviate hallway medicine across Canada. Further, she called for eliminating barriers for practitioners relocating between provinces and streamlining the accreditation process for foreign-trained professionals.
Khera praised Hanrahan’s candidacy, stating, “Mike, you’re an outstanding candidate and I can’t wait to work with you and see you in Ottawa.” This urgency is indicative of her understanding that local leadership will be key in tackling the challenges most affecting voters’ daily lives.
Hanrahan echoed Khera’s sentiments, remarking, “We are so close to making that a reality,” as he aims to work collaboratively with his team and constituents.
