Last month I had to attend the emergency department at the Ross Memorial. It was just one of those months where a bit of bad luck was followed by a bit more bad luck.

The emergency department team, on every visit, was just incredible. They are on the front lines of so many intersecting problems: chronic historic healthcare underfunding, a toxic illegal drug supply, a mental health crisis, a lack of resources for seniors living with dementia. Not to mention burn-out and understaffing from the years of COVID and post-COVID workload stress.

Despite all the challenges they were facing, every staff I encountered was professional, empathetic, caring and going above and beyond. These people are freaking heroes, day in and day out. Everyone can see what they are doing and the pressures they are facing.

I was not surprised by the outstanding and thorough care my family and I received – such care is the norm in my experience. But the conversations I overheard in the hallways were very interesting. I heard more than one senior commenting on how “we used to have a great health care system, but the Ford government is ruining it.” If it was just one conversation, I might have written it off to a random, non-conservative receiving care. But over the few days of being there, I started to sense a theme.

If people are getting angrier in our riding, which has been conservative for the vast majority of time since confederation, the provincial government might be facing a tipping point on one of the most important issues to Ontarians.

And healthcare is at play as a political issue in our riding. The closure of the Minden emergency department has garnered huge local opposition and provincial coverage (as has been well documented by my colleague, Kirk Winter, in this publication). People are angry for good reason. And they are mobilized.

It is expected that the effect of the Minden closure will soon be felt by increased wait times in Lindsay and that it will only get worse, although it remains to be seen if people will make that link.

Local political junkies will know that historically the Conservatives have won by taking the northern and rural parts of the riding which normally outdoes a split in Lindsay across a few parties. People way more connected to me are saying that this dynamic, at least for the moment, has changed.

There are rumours that some of the northern conservative power players will be sitting out the next provincial election cycle. There are also whispers that our MPP Laurie Scott may not seek re-election, in part because of the northern healthcare issue. Ms. Scott is a deservedly well-liked public servant who has served the community with devotion (whether you share her views or not).

But healthcare (and healthcare privatization and under-funding) may be one thing that is just more important than party politics to most residents.