Great to be out on the doors in Chéticamp-Margarees-Pleasant Bay supporting PC candidate Claude Bourgeois. It’s always valuable to hear directly from people about what they want to see from their government, both the good and the bad. Listening is part of the job.
People know there is still more work to do, but they also recognize how far we’ve come.
When we took office after eight years of Liberal government, Nova Scotia was facing significant challenges in healthcare, economic development, and labour relations. Since then, we’ve been focused on getting results and building a stronger province.
The contrast is clear.
-While the previous Liberal governments under Stephen McNeil and Iain Rankin repeatedly imposed contracts on teachers and other workers, our government has respected the collective bargaining process. Since taking office, we’ve successfully negotiated more than 400 worker agreements. The courts found key aspects of the Liberals’ approach to labour relations unconstitutional, and we continue working to rebuild trust and strengthen relationships with workers and their representatives.
-The Liberals spent years shutting down opportunities for responsible natural resource development, leaving economic potential on the table and limiting opportunities in many rural communities. Our government is taking a different approach by working with science and industry experts to safely and responsibly develop our natural resources, create good paying jobs, strengthen local economies, and make Nova Scotia more self sufficient.
-After years of Liberal neglect in healthcare, Nova Scotians were left with growing waitlists, persistent staffing shortages, and a system under tremendous strain. We made a commitment not to accept the status quo. Today, there are more healthcare professionals working in Nova Scotia, more ways for people to access care, and new healthcare infrastructure being built across the province. The doctor waitlist has gone down significantly, and we’re continuing to recruit and retain more physicians than ever before, including 199 net new doctors this year alone.
The choice in this by election is clear.
We can continue building on the progress we’ve made over the last several years, or return to the policies and approach that left Nova Scotia facing these challenges in the first place.
That’s why I’m asking voters to support Claude Bourgeois. He will be a strong voice for every community across this constituency and will bring local priorities directly to the government’s decision making table.
Let’s keep moving Nova Scotia forward. Let’s make it happen.