(Charlottetown) Michelle Neill, Leader of the Island New Democrats and declared candidate for District 15, Brackley-Hunter River, accompanied by Simone Webster, NDP candidate for District 9, Charlottetown-Hillsborough Park, lays out the Party’s issue priorities for the two provincial by-elections to be called in the near future.
Mrs. Neill states, “Having spoken with residents of Districts 9 and 15, the concerns of timely health care access, availability and affordability of housing, and dealing with the cost of living are the top priorities. The atrocious doctor wait list of 36,000 Islanders is the greatest failure of the King/Lantz Conservative government and reflects poorly on the lack of foresight of the previous Liberal government that led us to this crisis.”
The New Democrat Leader further relays the housing concerns Islanders have expressed, “I want to be in the Legislature to ensure Islanders receive their fair share of promised federal money for affordable housing, and deal with addressing the high cost-of-living that Islanders are facing.”
We must bolster our Vital Public Service, rather than Privatize and Shortchange Islanders
Mrs. Neill calls for the responsible allocation of government investment to bolster the public service, “Over the past few years, we have witnessed a disturbing trend by the King/Lantz government to shirk its responsibility to Islanders by hollowing out, and failing to support our public service, particularly in health care, as tax dollars are being diverted wastefully on private, for-profit corporate entities, many off-island. Some examples include ambulance service, telehealth (Maple), Travel Nurses, Home Care, a private ophthalmology clinic, and privately operated MRI services provided off-island while considering a privately run Island facility. PC Leadership candidate Corey Deagle has even suggested contracting a P3 (Public-Private Partnership) approach to re-construct the Kings County Memorial Hospital”. All of these services cost Islanders MUCH more in taxpayer dollars than properly staffing and equipping our publicly run services.
Michelle Neill and the Island New Democrats call for a less wasteful, more stream-lined approach to invest our Island’s resources, “Studies have clearly demonstrated when governments use public funds to pay for-profit private services, it costs more, depletes the public service of personnel, and often lowers the quality of service delivered. We will present a more responsible and sustainable path by investing to bolster our quality public service” commits Mrs. Neill.
“It has been disconcerting to watch from the sideline as the current opposition in the Legislature allows the Lantz government to push through their privatization agenda without needed scrutiny to defend the interests of Islanders. My colleague, Simone Webster, and I will work hard to gain the trust of District 9 and 15 residents, so we may be in the position to fight for Islanders in Province House,” concludes Mrs. Neill.
The Provincial Government must call by-elections for District 9 by August 11, and for District 15 by August 21, at the latest, which is six months following their respective dates of the seats being vacated.
Contact:
Michelle Neill, Leader
Island New Democrats
(902) 218-1590