With less than one week to go, healthcare continues to dominate as top issue leading up to Oct. 21 provincial election
As the campaign hits full gear in the race leading up to the Oct. 21 New Brunswick provincial election, healthcare, specifically primary care, has distinguished itself as the leading issue among voters in York, Carleton and Victoria counties.
Three members of the Higgs government cabinet are seeking reelection in the races in Carleton-York, Woodstock-Hartland, and Carleton-Victoria.
Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Richard Ames faces three challengers in Carleton-York as Liberal Chris Duffie, Peoples Alliance of New Brunswick’s Sterling Wright, and Green Party’s Burt Folkin look to unseat the incumbent.
In the newly named riding of Woodstock-Hartland, formerly Carleton, Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Bill Hogan will battle candidates representing four provincial parties and an independent candidate.
Marisa Pelkey, carrying the Liberal banner, appears to be the biggest threat to the incumbent in the long-time Tory stronghold. Jada Roche will represent the Green Party, Charlie Webber will offer a PANB option, and Bo Sheaves will represent the NDP.
Ernest Culberson, running as an independent in Woodstock-Hartland, is one of five independent candidates registered in the province’s 49 ridings.
Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries Minister Margaret Johnson, who joined the Higgs cabinet shortly after her election in 2020, will look to hold her seat against three challengers.
Veteran Negotkuk (Tobique First Nation) band councillor Julian Moulton will carry the Liberal banner, while Rebecca Blaevoet is the Green Party hopeful.
Tasha Rossignol is running in Carleton-Victoria as one of two New Brunswick candidates representing the Social Justice Party of New Brunswick.
Liberal leader Susan Holt made healthcare a pivotal part of the party’s platform even before Premier Blaine Higgs officially called the election, announcing plans to open 30 community health clinics across the province before 2028.
Holt’s announcement cited 10 communities, including Carleton North in the Carleton-Victoria riding, as the first targets for a clinic. On Oct. 4, the Liberal leader visited Woodstock to join Pelkey to outline plans for a corroborative care clinic in Woodstock.
Holt said Pelkey found a space to hold the clinic, brought together medical professionals ready to offer services in that model and engaged with municipal representatives who wanted to be at the table.
“We have the space. We have healthcare professionals who want to work in this type of collaborative care scene. We have community support,” Pelkey said.
Following a candidates’ forum featuring all six Woodstock-Hartland hopefuls on Oct. 7 at the McCain Community Theatre in Woodstock, Hogan expressed doubt the Liberals can deliver the promised clinic.
“I don’t believe them,” he said.
While he believes a collaborative clinic is feasible, Hogan doesn’t think they have the medical professionals to make it work.
“They made the same promise in Rothesay, verbatim,” he said.
Hogan said he fully supports a collaborative clinic and has worked with community members for over a decade toward that goal.
He said he is focused on many healthcare issues, including keeping and recruiting the necessary healthcare professionals to protect the future of the URVH Hospital.
Holt said community health clinics will provide a viable option for the estimated 180,000 New Brunswickers without a family physician. She added that quick access to a doctor will relieve the massive strain on overworked ER departments.
Green leader David Coon also made primary care a pivotal part of its platform, pledging to invest $100 million annually to fund 70 collaborative family practice teams across the province.
Woodstock-Hartland Green candidate Roche stressed that message during the Woodstock forum.
During the forum, Hogan, Pelkey, Roche, Sheaves, Webber and Culberson field questions on healthcare, rural transportation, housing, public safety, roads and infrastructure.
WHERE TO FIND VIDEOS OF CANDIDATE FORUMS AND PRESENTATIONS:
While technical issues delayed the live broadcast of the forum, the event, which was organized by Woodstock Mayor Trina Jones and moderated by Devon Judge, is on the Town of Woodstock YouTube page. The link is also here, on the River Valley Sun website.
Carleton-York voters had the chance to meet candidates when Lakeland Ridges council hosted a town hall on Oct. 9 at the Meductic Community Centre. All candidates were invited, but only two attended. That video is on the River Valley Sun’s YouTube channel and can also be seen on the RVS website.
We’ve also linked the Carleton-Victoria candidate presentations from the District of Carleton North council meeting. You can also find that link on the RVS website.
