Liberal leader Brian Gallant has had some extra company on the campaign trail over the last couple days. Protesters from CUPE have been showing up at Liberal announcements to voice concerns over ambulance service in the province.
Gallant was in Saint John Tuesday addressing a breakfast gathering of the Saint John Region Chamber of Commerce. He promised a re-elected Liberal government would introduce a number of measures to boost the post-secondary education sector.
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CUPE members were waiting outside, as they have been in the later stages of the election campaign at Liberal announcements.
One of the specific issues raised is the number of Ambulance NB vacancies.
“If we can get people in the seats, system critical wouldn’t be as bad, so that’s one thing,” said CUPE 4848 President Greg McConaghy.
Gallant met with the union at his hotel Tuesday night. He told reporters he understands the frustration.
“There are challenges when it comes to paramedics in this province like every other province across the country,” said Gallant.
“There’s a shortage of paramedics across the country and that certainly has put strain on a lot of the employees within the system.”
Later in the day, union members were there to greet Gallant at an announcement in Riverview.
The union also wants the province to abide by an arbitrators ruling suggesting Ambulance NB be less rigid about requirements for bilingual paramedics in areas where there is less need.
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“Like I said to him last night, there’s been a lot of issues in this province and the blood of New Brunswickers is on his hands,” McConaghey said. “I know that’s a harsh thing to say but it’s true.”
Earlier this year, the province asked for a judicial review of the arbitrator’s decision regarding the hiring practices of bilingual paramedics.
One political scientist says Gallant has handled himself well thus far on this issue but it’s tough to say how the electorate will view it.
“How sympathetic maybe the protesters are in terms of their demeanor and in terms of the issue that they’re raising with the politician that they’re going after,” said JP Lewis of UNB-Saint John. “I think it can be mixed results.”