A10

Mike Murphy

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This week I want to discuss the latest legislative session. On June 18 the Legislative Assembly wrapped up its spring sitting. The session proved to be one of the most active in recent years and will be remembered for its progress on many important issues.

When the speech from the throne was read back in November of 2007 an impressive and ambitious list of initiatives was presented.

A balanced budget, a new Provincial Health Plan, strengthened environmental regulations for drinking water, mandatory coroner's inquests for workplace fatalities, targeted property tax relief, a long-term plan for early learning and child care, province-wide learning disabilities and literacy strategies, as well as population growth and business attraction strategies just to name a few.

These changes will provide New Brunswick with new and/or improved services. Some of the most exciting changes have come about with the implementation of our new Provincial Health Plan.

This year, ordinary account and capital spending in the Department of Health will be more than $2.2 billion - a record-breaking figure. Of that $2.2 billion, $57.5 million has been budgeted for capital construction projects and equipment. The investment reflects many of the new Provincial Health Plan initiatives aimed to help New Brunswickers be and stay healthy.

These initiatives include $19.2 million to replace two linear accelerators at the Dr-Georges-L.-Dumont Regional Hospital Oncology Centre, $8 million to begin constructing a new emergency department at the Saint John Regional Hospital, $4 million to continue renovations at the Dr-Georges-L.-Dumont Regional Hospital (related to the training program for francophone medical students in the city), and $2 million to begin renovations at the Moncton Hospital. Changes have also been made on how services are being delivered.

The creation of Ambulance New Brunswick made it possible to replace 50 separate contracts with three dozen different organizations that were previously providing ambulance services to our province.

Placing ambulatory responsibility under one public sector company will enhance service by providing consistent training to paramedics as well as standardized emergency response times.

Bringing things a little closer to home, I am pleased to say that the New Brunswick Government has committed $200,000 to St. Pat's Community Centre. The money will be used for the construction of a new roof as well as much needed exterior renovations. The St. Pat's Centre plays an important part in our community and this money will ensure the building's future.

Also on the home front, the expansion of Mapleton Road has begun and will greatly improve the flow of traffic once completed. While change is necessary in order to progress, the rate in which this government has moved, on so many issues, is nothing short of impressive.

All the changes brought about during this past legislative session were made to improve the lives of all New Brunswickers and we will continue, in the sessions to come, to effect positive change in order to bring about those improvements.

* Mike Murphy is the Provincial Health Minister and MLA for Moncton-North. His column appears bi-weekly in Moncton This Week. If you would like to reach him, stop by his office on Mountain Road or phone 869-6115.