Mr. Pallister goes to Neepawa

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Published on Thursday, April 14, 2016

Photo by Eoin Devereux. Brian Pallister (left) chatted with several dozen people at the meet and greet on Friday, including Ron Gray (right) of Neepawa.

By Eoin Devereux

Neepawa Banner/Neepawa Press

Manitoba’s Progressive Conservative leader made a quick stop in Neepawa on Friday, Apr. 8. Brian Pallister, along with party candidate for the Agassiz riding Eileen Clarke, attended the Royal Canadian Legion for an informal meet and greet session.

Pallister said he has been travelling to as many communities as possible during this election campaign. He said talking to people face to face about the issues that concern them and asking for their support has been very important.

“We’ve had the most ambitious tour of any of the campaigns. We’ll have travelled over 7,000 kilometres by the time this thing is done. There’s only one riding, Churchill that we will not have travelled to, though we were there a few weeks ago [before the election was called],” said Pallister. “We’re reaching out in an ambitious way because we, as a party, are demonstrating that we’re ready to go to the people and ask for support. And I think that’s what the people deserve.”

Pallister noted that an issue people across Agassiz have brought forward to him is health care and emergency services. He said they’re concerned and want to see changes.

“In terms of healthcare, our results are the worst in Canada. The emergency services are deplorable. Our waits are the longest in Canada. Our ambulance fees; I’ve had communications with people in Neepawa about driving their own family members to emergency because the ambulance fees are the highest in Canada. These are serious concerns. These are the areas we’re focused on. We have a plan  also for doctor recruitment and retention. The NDP has a plan too. It’s to jack up the taxes on highest income earners. Well, who is that?  Doctors. So you’re going to ship more doctors away. We already have the worst record on keeping them in Canada, so it’s not a plan at all for rural Manitoba. They have a plan to get reelected on promises. We have a plan to reduce ambulance fees by 50 per cent in our first term,” said Pallister.

P.C. candidate Eileen Clarke said it’s great that Pallister has travelled to several communities within the riding. She said it shows that they’re taking no votes for granted.

“I’ve travelled throughout Agassiz over the last several months, meeting with people and hearing their ideas and getting an understanding of what their expectations are of the person who will represent them. Ultimately, that’s what this campaign is about for me. [Agassiz] has been a P.C. held riding, but we don’t take that for granted. That’s why myself and Brian [Pallister] are out here. Because you have to earn the right to be their voice in government, ” said Clarke.

As the election draws to a close, Pallister said he’s very optimistic about what he’s been hearing on the campaign trail and is hopeful that’ll translate into votes on Tuesday, Apr. 19.  

“I’m really happy with the work that we’ve been doing. We’ve been working really hard and that’s something that I think has given us reason to feel hopeful,” noted Pallister. “You do the work, you prepare and then you await the result. It’s democracy. You let the people decide and you trust the people.”