For Immediate Release
October 25, 2006

Queensway Carleton Hospital Thanks MPs Baird and Poilievre For Securing $1 Rent

(Ottawa) - The Board of Directors of the Queensway Carleton Hospital (QCH) presented local MPs, Pierre Poilievre and John Baird with a gigantic "Thank You" card for delivering on their campaign commitment to reduce the rent paid by the QCH to the National Capital Commission (NCC) to $1 per year. The card was signed by front line staff at the QCH to thank Baird and Poilievre for their tireless efforts.

"Delivering on our commitment to obtain $1-a-year rent for the QCH secures the hospital's financial future," said Baird. "The $1-a-year rent ensures that our community hospital can afford to direct all of their resources to doctors, nurses and front line services."

"This token of thanks from my community hospital is one of the most touching gestures that I have ever received. Only months ago the hospital was facing a major rent increase, but because of the communities overwhelming support we were able to reduce the rent to $1 a year," said Poilievre. "My thanks go to the thousands of hospital supporters who have written, signed petitions and spoken out."

The QCH currently sits on land owned by the NCC, a federal crown corporation, and has been paying an annual rent of $23,000 a year. The rent was poised to climb much higher in 2013 when the lease was set to expire and the NCC was preparing to charge a new rate based on market levels. A renewed lease could have potentially cost the hospital millions of dollars - money that Baird and Poilievre have argued would be better spent on patient care. The change brings the hospital into sync with the majority of hospitals on municipal land across Canada that either pay $1-a-year rent or have the land they sit on transferred to them.

For more information contact:
Office of Pierre Poilievre, MP (613) 992-2772
Office of John Baird, MP (613) 996-0984