Today marks 100 days since Wakeham’s Conservatives formed government. Newfoundland and Labrador NDP Leader Jim Dinn (St. John’s Centre) says those 100 days have been defined by cuts, the absence of a plan forward, and a troubling lack of communication from the government to the public.
“When I look at the last 100 days since the election, I have to question whether Wakeham and his team were truly ready to govern,” said Dinn. “Instead of holding a fall session of the House of Assembly to lay out how they would deliver on their election promises, we got a fiscal update where they claimed they didn’t know how serious our financial situation was. Newfoundlanders and Labradorians knew – and so did we.”
Dinn points out that beyond the still-incomplete rollout of 24-hour snow clearing and a quickly announced tuition freeze, the PCs have taken a back seat when it comes to delivering on their promises. He says the government has yet to produce a plan for healthcare, public safety, or affordability, leaving Newfoundlanders and Labradorians without clear direction on the issues that matter most.
“We have heard very little from the government about how they intend to tackle what they themselves have identified as the biggest challenges facing our province,” said Dinn. “When can people expect to see the PCs’ plan to compensate everyone who has to travel for medical care? When will we finally hear a real affordability plan so people can actually afford to live and stay healthy? While the Premier has made multiple announcements reversing decisions and contracts of his predecessor, he has shown little initiative or confidence in charting his own course.”
“We have put forward practical solutions and clear opportunities to work together on key issues, yet this government has chosen not to engage. The Premier and his ministers continue to refuse to answer questions on matters within their own departments. Newfoundlanders and Labradorians deserve genuine transparency, not rhetoric,” said Dinn. “An NDP government would have implemented all of our transparency policies within the first 100 days, ensuring real accountability in government.”
“As always, the NDP stands waiting to work in collaboration with any party in government to bring forward real solutions for people in this province. If only they wanted to do the same.”