At the start of the 90-minute debate, Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Houston and NDP Leader Gary Burrill slammed the Prime Minister for failing to deal with a chronic doctor shortage that has left nearly 70,000 Nova Scotians without a doctor. family.
Opposition leaders also said nurses in the province are running out and resigning, a lingering problem they say has been made worse by the pandemic.
People will remember the Liberals promised a doctor for all Nova Scotians
Tim Houston told Iain Rankin, referring to a promise made by the latter’s predecessor, former Liberal Prime Minister Stephen McNeil. They failed on it. They haven’t really tried.
Tim Houston, a 51-year-old chartered accountant, said a Conservative government would spend $ 553 million in its first year in office to keep campaign promises, mainly to improve health care.
Iain Rankin, who, at 38, is Canada’s youngest prime minister, has attacked Tim Houston’s heavy spending commitment, arguing the Tory leader wants overbuild
in the long-term care sector by promising 2,500 new beds.
Liberals promise $ 131 million more in health
On several occasions, Tim Houston insisted on speaking to Iain Rankin simultaneously, which made some exchanges difficult to understand. Gary Burrill, a 65-year-old United Church pastor, kept his cool and waited his turn to speak.
The Liberals released their party’s health care platform on Tuesday, pledging an additional $ 131 million. Iain Rankin said investments in recruiting doctors and nurses and in mental health will build on the nearly $ 400 million earmarked for health care in the Liberals’ 2021-2022 budget, which was tabled in March.
Gary Burrill echoed Iain Rankin’s comment:? “,” text “:” Did you just use the word ” overbuild ”? Don’t you admit that in eight years you have only created 57 beds? “}}”>Did you just use the word ‘overbuild’? Don’t you recognize that in eight years you have only created 57 beds?
Iain Rankin responded that his party’s investments in health and long-term care were reasonable. What we don’t need is a competition over who can invest the most money in a problem
, said the former commercial director.
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