FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 11, 2024
Statement from Matt MacFarlane on King government’s failure to support and train internationally-trained nurses on PEI who are ready to work
Charlottetown, PE – Islanders are rightfully frustrated by the misplaced priorities of the King government. Spending millions on an NHL deal shrouded in secrecy while people are struggling to find a doctor or access healthcare shows just how out of touch the Premier and his team really are.
The contrast could not be clearer. We’ve seen the Premier travel extensively to places like Boston, New York, and Nashville to prioritize the NHL deal. Yet, how many trips has our Premier taken that are focused on recruiting healthcare workers to fill critical gaps in our healthcare system? From what we’ve heard, none.
The government claims to have recruited over 100 healthcare workers through international recruitment trips to places like Dubai and Singapore in 2023. But a year later, we’re told the actual number is far lower, and many of those who have immigrated here are unable to work in their fields. This speaks to a lack of planning and follow-through. Islanders want to know how many of those international nurses are actively working as registered nurses today.
Meanwhile, frontline healthcare workers here at home feel abandoned. Healthcare unions are saying what we all know to be true: the King government isn’t spending enough to retain and respect the workers we already have. The dedication and resources poured into the NHL deal should be redirected to the people who are keeping our healthcare system afloat.
We also need to take a hard look at how we support internationally-trained healthcare workers already living on PEI. The President of the PEI Nurses’ Union Barbara Brookins stated publicly that she believes government should try harder to identify and hire the many international nurses who are already on the Island doing other kinds of work.
I’ve heard directly from internationally-trained registered nurses and physicians who are eager to help but are blocked from working to their full capacity—or even in related roles like RCWs. These individuals want to contribute to our healthcare system, but they face barriers that government has failed to address. Meanwhile, emergency departments and critical care units are frequently only kept open by expensive travel nurses, often comprising up to 80% of the nurses on shift.
Islanders have had enough of expensive taxpayer funded trips and photo-ops; they want results that matter in their daily lives. This government must prioritize healthcare recruitment and retention over expensive deals that Islanders didn’t ask for and can’t benefit from.
The Premier and his ministers must answer for these decisions and, more importantly, show Islanders that they’re ready to put people first. Anything less is unacceptable.
Matt MacFarlane
Third Party Critic for Health
MLA Borden-Kinkora
-30-
For media inquiries, please contact:
Katie Rankin
Chief of Staff
Office of the Third Party
Tel: (902) 213-6378
Email: kerankin@assembly.pe.ca