This is my commentary about this article I saw in the news about the Ontario government.  I am taking bets as to if any of these vans will be wheelchair accessible.  I find that the government in Ontario is SO stupid that they probably will not be wheelchair accessible. I think this because it is so OBVIOUS that they need to be wheelchair accessible.  My kids have missed out on many appointments because our van was broken down.  This will have a negative impact on the patient transfer services provided by many transportation companies who are already doing this for free of charge?   Who will be driving these vans???? There seems to be a lot of unanswered questions about the government just out of the blue dropping 2.4 million into the hurting auto industry.  Does this seem like it was just whipped up?  Right now, surgeries and patient services are being cancelled or can not be performed because there is a huge shortage of short term beds.  Don't you think that 2.4 million on mini-vans could be used to pay nurses and practical nurses in some of the long term facilities that have wings closed???? 

I think the money should have been used for other things, more tangible, like hiring a few more doctors in emergency departments.  If you really need to get to an appointment, there is always an ambulance, bus, wheelchair taxi, family, friends, isn't there? At a time when gas is so high, more vehicles on the road does not seem like an answer to anything, or is it just me?  So lets say a person suddenly takes a spell for the worse while riding in one of these vans?  Will there be any attending paramedics/nurses aboard? Probably not. 

That's the view from here.

TORONTO - Ontario's Health Ministry has bought 100 new Dodge Grand Caravan minivans to help shuttle people without the means to make it to important medical appointments and cancer treatment sessions.

The announcement came Friday in Windsor, Ont. - the heart of the province's beleaguered auto sector industry that has suffered thousands of job cuts in recent months.

The vans will cost the government $2.4 million, and a second Windsor company is expected to benefit from a $56,000 contract that will have it adorn each vehicle with decals.

Details about the types of services the vans will be used for and where they'll be located were not released Friday.

But a spokeswoman for Health Minister George Smitherman says the shuttle service will be free for Ontario residents who don't have a way to get to important medical appointments.

The government is expected to announce details of the new provincial program when the vehicles are delivered in the next three or four weeks.