The NHS announced last week it plans to move maternity, gynecology, pediatric and obstetric services to the new hospital being built in St. Catharines in order to eliminate its $18 million deficit.

While losing those services, the plan recommends Niagara Falls become Niagara's centre for plastic, dental and orthopedic surgeries.

"Can't we trade them plastics for maternity?" asked Coun. Carolynn Ioannoni at council's meeting Monday night. "I can't imagine (the NHS) saying Niagara Falls will be a centre of excellence for plastic surgery, but women can no longer have babies here."

The plan has not been adopted yet, giving enough time for residents and public officials to "start screaming" for the provincial government to stop the cuts from going forward, said Ioannoni.

Dr. Johan Viljoen, the NHS's chief physician of obstetrics and gynecology, said the recommendation to move services to St. Catharines has received "enormous support" in the medical community throughout the region.

Council's decision does not reflect the opinion of the medical community who understand there is a shortage of nurses and a declining birthrate in the region, he said.

He said council should leave health decisions to the NHS and stick with municipal tasks such as sewer systems and roads.

"When it comes to health care maybe we have the edge on knowing what the problems are and how to provide safe and quality care," said Viljoen.

Still, Coun. Jim Diodati said NHS officials in the fall of 2006 "repeatedly denied" they were going to cut services even when asked directly by councillors of their intentions.

"I'm most frustrated with the fact that we were misled and we were deceived by the NHS," he added.

Diodati said he suspects the reason NHS officials denied they were going to cut services in the past is because of the contribution they will receive from Niagara Falls for the St. Catharines hospital.

"They were afraid if our community turned against their plan, we wouldn't support their fundraising effort ... They didn't want to turn us off."

He described the NHS's actions of "misleading" council as a "Machiavellian approach" to politics.

Council unanimously passed a motion insisting that the NHS withdraw its recommendation to close the maternity ward.

The Local Health Integration Network of Hamilton-Niagara-Haldimand-Brant, the provincial agency that oversees the NHS, will spend the next three months looking over the NHS's proposal.

Residents can review the 311-page plan on the NHS's, www.niagarahealth.on.ca.