EDITORIAL – Fixing design shortcomings of cancer centre worth waiting for

An editorial by Mel Rothenburger.

WHAT A STRANGE turn of events on the Kamloops cancer treatment centre.

The community has been lobbying for it, begging, demanding construction of a full treatment centre since the last century. In 1991, then-Premier Mike Harcourt promised Kamloops the NDP would build one. It was a promise he quickly reneged on once the election was over. Various governments that followed did nothing to restore the hope.

Finally, in the last couple of years, the new NDP government under John Horgan and now David Eby pledged to make it happen. They found a location next to Royal Inland Hospital, had preliminary drawings made, did the budgeting, and all seemed well. There was some skepticism within local political circles but the government said not to worry.

Suddenly, everything has been turned on its head. Watching and listening to Kamloops Centre MLA Peter Milobar and Health Minister Josie Osborne exchange words in the Legislature this week was a surreal experience — Milobar argued for a delay in construction; Osborne insisted residents shouldn’t have to wait.

There were nuances to their arguments. Milobar speaks in terms of a one year delay. Osborne spoke as though it’s an urgent matter that the government intends to rectify. The reason for this 180-degree switch in positions is a disagreement over the design.

As Milobar says, the Kamloops cancer treatment centre will be the only one in the province and maybe in the country that will be purposely designed on two different locations. One of the main reasons given by the government is challenges with the hillside site.

As Milobar said, “The most recent comments by the minister again indicate that not only will we have the only cancer setup like this, despite the urging of local medical professionals and cancer medical professionals, but this is a system and a design that was not workable and will make it next to impossible for proper recruitment.”

Osborne’s response is to steadfastly insist that Kamloops can’t tolerate any delay with the construction timeline and that it will go ahead as planned. “I don’t think the people of Kamloops and the surrounding area want to see delays in having that care come to them.”

That’s rich, given that her government and others — Social Credit, NDP and Liberal — have been wholly responsible for it taking 35 or 40 years to get the project onto the drawing boards.

Having waited some four decades for the dream to come true, people from this region can wait another year for the design to be adjusted. Not a pleasant prospect, waiting, but better that than a design that’s second best.

Mel Rothenburger is a former regular contributor to CFJC-TV and CBC radio, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a recipient of the Jack Webster Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award, and a Webster Foundation Commentator of the Year finalist. He has served as mayor of Kamloops, school board chair and TNRD director, and is a retired daily newspaper editor.  He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.