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
水果视频鈥檚 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.
鈥淲e鈥檝e had the most ambitious tour of any of the campaigns. We鈥檒l have travelled over 7,000 kilometres by the time this thing is done. There鈥檚 only one riding, Churchill that we will not have travelled to, though we were there a few weeks ago [before the election was called],鈥� said Pallister. 鈥淲e鈥檙e reaching out in an ambitious way because we, as a party, are demonstrating that we鈥檙e ready to go to the people and ask for support. And I think that鈥檚 what the people deserve.鈥�
Pallister noted that an issue people across Agassiz have brought forward to him is health care and emergency services. He said they鈥檙e concerned and want to see changes.
鈥淚n 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鈥檝e 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鈥檙e focused on. We have a plan also for doctor recruitment and retention. The NDP has a plan too. It鈥檚 to jack up the taxes on highest income earners. Well, who is that? Doctors. So you鈥檙e going to ship more doctors away. We already have the worst record on keeping them in Canada, so it鈥檚 not a plan at all for rural 水果视频. 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,鈥� said Pallister.
P.C. candidate Eileen Clarke said it鈥檚 great that Pallister has travelled to several communities within the riding. She said it shows that they鈥檙e taking no votes for granted.
鈥淚鈥檝e 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鈥檚 what this campaign is about for me. [Agassiz] has been a P.C. held riding, but we don鈥檛 take that for granted. That鈥檚 why myself and Brian [Pallister] are out here. Because you have to earn the right to be their voice in government, 鈥� said Clarke.
As the election draws to a close, Pallister said he鈥檚 very optimistic about what he鈥檚 been hearing on the campaign trail and is hopeful that鈥檒l translate into votes on Tuesday, Apr. 19.
鈥淚鈥檓 really happy with the work that we鈥檝e been doing. We鈥檝e been working really hard and that鈥檚 something that I think has given us reason to feel hopeful,鈥� noted Pallister. 鈥淵ou do the work, you prepare and then you await the result. It鈥檚 democracy. You let the people decide and you trust the people.鈥�
