Regarding the article Cancer clinic mulls 20% cut in nurses (London Free Press, Feb. 10).

London Health Sciences Centre is not the only Ontario hospital to announce drastic cuts. The budget guessing game the McGuinty Liberals are forcing Ontario hospitals to play is unconscionable at worst, irresponsible at best.

The time and resources being wasted drafting contingency funding plans that likely won't be used could be, and should be, spent instead on improving patient care and making better use of existing health-care dollars.

Unfortunately, the McGuinty government's deliberate strategy to create uncertainty leaves communities facing significant cuts and dedicated health-care workers in limbo. It's certainly not the way to run Ontario's health-care system, but given the McGuinty record it's simply par for the course.

Andrea Horwath, MPP, Leader, Ontario’s NDP

As published in The London Free Press on Feb. 12, 2010.