What’s on Your Mind
December is usually a quiet month for us but not this year. We were inundated on Bill 26, The Traffic Safety Amendment Act. We had so many calls, emails and people stopping me to discuss this legislation it kept us busy responding to everyone. I asked your questions while I was debating in the legislature; unfortunately the government chose not to answer the majority of them.
The petition that many of you signed made it clear you were asking for evidence based proposals targeting those impaired drivers well over legal impaired limits which are responsible for alcohol-related accidents and fatalities.
A report prepared by Transport Canada indicated that 61.3% of fatalities were caused by drivers without any blood alcohol content (BAC) mostly caused by speeding or other unsafe driving practices, 22.6% of fatalities were caused by drivers at more than double the BAC limit of .08, 10.3% of fatalities were caused by those In .8 to .16 BAC range, 3.6% by individuals with a BAC between 0.1 to .05, 2.2% of all fatal accidents were caused by drivers who were found to be in the .05 to .08 BAC range. The current road side suspensions program has suspended 42,762 drivers over the last 5 years. What I think is important is to find out where these road side suspensions took place and target the areas that indicate there is a problem. I repeatedly asked the government for the stats and still have not got the information. I’m sure you are aware that the legislation has now passed and will now become law.
Healthcare continues to be on your mind and this month you questioned the government especially Premier Redford for not keeping her word on a fully independent and judicial inquiry. While Bill 24, The Health Quality Council Act, passed in the legislature it was not without questions and amendments from the opposition parties. We asked the Premier in both question period and in debate to keep her word, but instead the government forced closure on the bill which allowed the PC government to pass it.
We are still getting calls about your loved ones asking the same questions you have been asking for months. Where is the home care and where are the long term care beds?
The PC government’s announcement of adding 30 long-term care beds for the entire province is nothing more than a joke. We could easily fill 30 long term care beds with seniors from the constituency alone. It really is sad to see seniors that we have gotten to know over the last several years spending their time in the hospital while they wait for a long term care bed. The incredible pressure and stress it puts in family members while they try and manoeuvre the system to get them the help they truly need is heartbreaking.
A big thanks to everyone who took the time to contact me. I really appreciate your ongoing input and it truly is an honour to represent you.