Cutbacks and their cost

Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 21/09/2023 (719 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

There’s an ancient saying dating as far back as the 13th century that starts: for want of a nail, the shoe was lost. It’s a warning of what happens when society doesn’t keep its eye on details, with unfortunate results. It’s also a cautionary tale for Manitobans and Canadians right now, as politicians of all stripes make promises, without keeping their eyes on the results of those promises.

It’s also important for voters who make demands that governments cut spending, without wondering what the ramifications will be.

A case in point: I was at a public institution last week, one funded by taxpayer’s dollars, when I tripped and fell on a sidewalk that had been poorly maintained. I broke my right hand and sprained my left ankle. Because of that, I spent over 24 hours in urgent care at Victoria Hospital (huge shout out to the amazing nurses and workers there — you rock!).

I was then transferred to the Misericordia (again, staff there are amazing and so kind) where I spent three days until they would release me. Apparently, because I live by myself in a townhouse with multiple levels, they didn’t want to send me home until I could walk better and had arranged home care.

A fall cost me physically, emotionally and financially because I am unable to fully work (typing with one hand is laborious and difficult), I had to make arrangements for pet care and cancel a planned trip to Banff. Plus, it cost the healthcare system four nights in a hospital bed, lab costs, stretcher transfers and other assorted expenses.

For want of a nail…

Pre-COVID, accidental falls were responsible for about a third of hospital admissions in this country — a staggering number. According to the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), falls are the most frequent reason for visits to emergency.

A study released by Canada’s Public Health Agency suggests the number of fall injuries experienced by seniors has been rising. In a 2014 comprehensive analysis of seniors’ falls, PHAC indicated that while the majority of those injuries occurred in the home or in residential care, approximately 10 per cent occurred on sidewalks or in public spaces. Seniors on average spend more time in hospital after a fall and women, because of their higher propensity for osteoporosis, are more likely to be hurt than men.

Winter makes things worse. Not just for seniors, but for anyone with mobility concerns, and even those who are fully functional but are unlucky enough to face ice and uncleared sidewalks. It only takes a second and a life can be changed.

There’s been a lot of discussion about the infrastructure deficit in Canada. Bridges, roads, community centres and public institutions are falling into a state of disrepair as various levels of government fight to cut budgets and cope with new spending issues, particularly with a pandemic.

It’s easier to raise funds for a shiny new building with a corporate sponsor than to fix a side street. It’s pretty hard to find branding for a pothole.

According to the Canadian Centre of Policy Alternatives, the percentage of Canada’s GDP spent on infrastructure fell a great deal, particularly in the deficit-reduction ‘80s and ‘90s. As well, the responsibility for funding many projects like roads and sidewalks falls increasingly on municipalities — the one level of government with the smallest wiggle room on taxation.

As a result, cities have fallen behind on maintenance. That goes for any public institution that’s been told to cut back as well.

If you want further proof of just how penny wise and pound foolish governments have been about infrastructure investment, look to a National Capitol Commission report. Released earlier this year, it revealed it will now take more than $175 million and 10 years to maintain Canada’s six official residences which have been allowed to crumble into disrepair. The prime minister’s official address has a renovation price tag of around $36 million. Justin Trudeau hasn’t lived in 24 Sussex Drive while he’s been prime minister because of its deteriorating condition.

For want of a nail.

Listen carefully when politicians in the provincial and the next federal election start talking about cutting taxes or spending — and ask them, “At what cost?” Who will get hurt in the long run, and how much more expensive will those supposed savings become?

Shannon Sampert is a communications consultant, freelance editor for Policy Options and former politics and perspectives editor at the Free Press. She teaches part time at the University of Manitoba. shannon@mediadiva.ca