Spring session begins Monday
Health, affordability top concerns as Liberals prepare budget
Almost every day a shocking new story emerges about the chaotic state of the health-care system in Newfoundland and Labrador, as people pinch pennies in an attempt to pay their bills. This is the backdrop against which politicians will sit in the legislature on Monday.
They’ll debate how to spend taxpayers’ dollars in the budget-focused session, and all three party leaders agree that health care and the cost of living are the most pressing concerns.
ELECTION SPECULATION
Just how much time the Opposition will get to hold the government accountable on these important issues remains to be seen, as speculation mounts about a snap spring election.
“It’s the age-old question, isn’t it?” Premier Andrew Furey said with a smile when Saltwire asked him on Thursday whether he can confirm, yes or no, if there will be a general election this month or sometime this spring.
“I’ve told you before, I’m principally and primarily focused on doing what's best for Newfoundland and Labrador, and coming up with real solutions for real people, and that's going to be the focus of this government,” he said.
Progressive Conservative Leader Tony Wakeham told Saltwire on Thursday he has heard rumours about a general election, but what’s important to him is that the House of Assembly is open.
“We need to get in there and debate issues, and talk about those concerns that people have,” Wakeham said.
If an election is called, the House will dissolve so candidates can campaign.
By law, an election doesn’t have to be held until Nov. 24, 2025.
“If this government chooses to ignore that, and wants to go rushing to the polls again, I mean, obviously that's their prerogative. The premier can do that," Wakeham said.
"Do I think that's what people need at the moment? No, I don't. Now, having said that, would I love to be premier? Absolutely.
“And so, if you want to bring on an election, let's do it, but I think right now the focus has to be on the issues that are facing the people in Newfoundland and Labrador. … We need to start acting, and start doing some things to help people.”
FUREY TOUTS PROGRESS ON HEALTH CARE
Other key concerns brought up by both Wakeham and NDP Leader Jim Dinn as they prepared for the spring session were the lack of housing, and issues pertaining to education, such as teacher recruitment, retention and resourcing.
Furey said the spring session will obviously be fiscally focused because they have to approve the budget, but there’s still “an immense amount of work” to do on the healthcare transformation his party started after the last election.
“We have made good progress,” he said.
“I know the day-to-day stories still exist, and I'm not diminishing those and the impact those have on real people, but we are making progress, but there's a lot left to do, whether that's in integration of the air and ambulance services, whether it's enhancing and redeveloping virtual care, or expanding family care teams, as an example,” Furey said.
WILL SILENT MHA SPEAK?
Meanwhile, a lingering question from the fall session remains: will Dinn break his silence?
In mid-october, Dinn asked in the House of Assembly, "Will the premier admit that what his minister said is a lie, and he has misled the House and the people of this province about the actual numbers of houses built?"
Dinn was referring to thenhousing Minister Paul Pike, who had touted 750 affordable housing units built since 2021, when in fact the number was 11.
Speaker Derek Bennett ruled Dinn’s language was unparliamentary, and asked Dinn to withdraw the comments or be silenced in the legislature. Dinn chose silence for the remainder of the fall session, and told reporters it was a matter of principle.
A new session begins Monday, but he’s still not allowed to speak until he retracts the words he used.
Dinn told Saltwire on Friday he is still weighing the benefits of retracting versus not retracting. He said it’s been a source of internal debate within himself.