A DOCTOR FOR EVERY FAMILY
Date: Tuesday May 12, 2009

Stephen McNeil
Liberal Leader

I wish to thank the Dalhousie Medical School for allowing us to be here today to share with you part of our vision for healthcare in Nova Scotia.

I am very fortunate to have a family doctor and I am very fortunate to live in an area of the province which is served by a community health clinic.

But a family doctor is a luxury in many parts of this province.

There simply are not enough family doctors to supply the needs of families. This has a domino effect in our health care system.

People who need basic, primary health care are forced to access Emergency Rooms.

This has led to overburdened emergency rooms and a system overwhelmed by demands it was not designed to handle.

I have often said it is not enough for the opposition to criticize the status quo.

People expect and deserve much better from their politicians - I believe we must provide constructive solutions.

That’s why Liberals fought for and succeeded in setting aside 5 seats at Dalhousie Medical School for students committed to working in under-serviced areas of Nova Scotia.

It is a simple equation. Medical students who agree to work in those areas have their tuition paid for by the provincial government. Those students begin their careers with less of a debt burden and people gain a family doctor.

Having a family doctor won’t solve every medical problem, but it is a basic service that every family in Nova Scotia needs. For most of us, it is vital to our basic well being.

A Liberal government will ensure a doctor for every family. We will have a home-grown solution. We will designate 20 seats at Dalhousie Medical School for the next 5 years – that’s a total of 100 doctors willing to work in under-serviced parts of this province.

It is a win-win situation for medical students and for families. It is a constructive and realistic solution. It is affordable. And it will pay dividends for many years to come.

Let’s begin with a doctor for every family.