Mayor taking heat from nurses' union for comments he did not make
Kamloops Mayor Peter Milobar is taking heat from the B.C. Nurse’s Union (BCNU) for comments he made about the parking problem at Royal Inland Hospital.
There’s just one problem — the mayor said he has never voiced the opinion that has led to union criticism of him.
BCNU president Debra McPherson sent out a release on July 10, taking the mayor to task because “he puts solving the parking problem at the hospital ahead of securing physical improvements to medical facilities.”
Milobar said that’s not true — and media reports the union based its criticism on don’t imply that’s the case, either.
“Nowhere in that article did I say anything about overcrowding in the hallways,” Milobar said. “They somehow created that out of my quote.”
However, he did say the lack of parking at the hospital has been a higher profile issue for many people.
“When I open up my email or listen to my voicemail, I get more on parking than hallway medicine,” he said.
Milobar said the union’s criticism of an $80-million redevelopment for the hospital misses the big picture. Without more parking, later upgrades — like a planned surgical and inpatient tower — would “exacerbate” an already difficult parking situation, he said.
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