NDP Leader Jim Dinn (St. John’s Centre) is calling on government to start doing the hard work required if they want to improve the well-being of people in the province. The renewed call comes after addressing media at an event where government announced Well-Being Week.
“Well-Being Week will do nothing to help the person I passed on the way here who’s turned a bus shelter into their home, or the seniors on fixed incomes who are facing eviction because their rents are increasing by over 30%,” said Dinn. “What would help is if government started doing the hard work to actually help people. They can start by filling the 99 vacant social work positions in the province, or bring educational psychologists back into schools – but it’s easier to launch a website. My call to this government is: Do something; do something meaningful.”
The NDP is renewing its calls for the Liberal government to do what it had promised the people of the province it would do and address the social determinants of health. Since Premier Furey’s government was elected, workers earning minimum wage are carrying multiple jobs to put food on the table and make ends meet. Workers are staying home longer because they cannot access childcare, and emergency rooms and clinics around the province continue to close.
“Is this what the Premier meant when he said he had ‘big bold ideas’ to save the province? Workers carrying multiple jobs to put food on the table? Emergency rooms and clinics around the province on rotating closures? Nurses unable to return from maternity leave because they cannot access childcare? University students unable to find housing and delaying their education?” questioned Dinn. “Don’t worry folks! Well-Being Week is just around the corner. Then maybe we’ll see this government roll up its sleeves and get to work improving the lives of people in this province.”
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For further information, contact Eddy St. Coeur, Director of Communications, NDP Caucus at 729-2137 (o), or eddystcoeur@gov.nl.ca