Charlottetown, PE - Today the spring sitting of the legislature ended as Dennis King’s PC government used its majority to pass an uninspired budget and a weak legislative agenda.

With growing crises in healthcare, housing, climate, and affordability, Premier King and his Ministers are more focused on avoiding accountability for their many failures than taking bold and decisive action to improve the lives of Islanders.

“This spring sitting showed Islanders just how little the PC government has to offer Islanders,” said Leader of the Third Party Karla Bernard. “Not only is this the most secretive government ever when it comes to showing where and how public money is being spent, this is a government that doesn’t want to make the changes Islanders need. When presented with tangible solutions from the opposition, like the Green bill to remove sick notes, the PCs chose to vote as a block against a recommendation coming directly from doctors.”

During the spring sitting the Green caucus:

• Put forward a bill that would remove the sick note clause from the Employment Standards Act, something Island physicians tell us is an administrative burden for them. Government voted down the bill;
• Called on government to give those frontline healthcare workers who were left out of the retention incentive their due bonus. Government voted down the motion;
• Called on government to review and improve its healthcare recruitment practices so we can hire more healthcare workers faster. Government voted down the motion;
• Secured a commitment from government to review and improve the Province’s procurement practices so that public money is being spent fairly and with oversight;
• Called on the Health Minister to hold a follow up town hall in Summerside to update Islanders on the progress made restoring the ICU at the Prince County Hospital;
• Got a commitment from government to work with Island teachers to address classroom complexity in schools;
• Pushed for better enforcement of the Lands Protection Act to ensure non-residents aren’t purchasing more land than legally allowed.

“While the King government flounders, the Green caucus will continue to put Islanders at the centre of everything we do,” said Bernard. “We will put forward common sense solutions that make a real difference for our province.”