Provincial NDP candidate Evelyne Godfrey

Tantramar NDP candidate Evelyne Godfrey says that, for her, access to health care is one of the main issues in this fall’s provincial election.

“There needs to be public investment in our public services, health care number one, that’s the universal priority that everybody’s got,” she said during an interview on Saturday.

“The health care budget needs to increase and that’s why we need a change in government.”

Godfrey argues that, aside from spending more money on health care, the quickest solution to the shortage of family doctors and other health care workers is to remove restrictions on those applying to come to Canada as well as the ones already here.

“I’ve been hearing stories about people who are health care workers back in their country and here, they’re having to drive a taxi or do some other work because they haven’t had their qualifications accepted.”

Housing & Energy

Godfrey says the lack of affordable housing is another main issue and she advocates rent caps, more investment in co-op housing and an end to “renovictions,” the practice of evicting tenants to renovate properties so that landlords can charge higher rents.

She made similar points about health care and housing when she ran as a federal NDP candidate in the riding of Beauséjour in 2021.

After losing a provincial NDP nomination contest in Memramcook-Tantramar in 2018, she ran for the party in Fredericton-York where then, as now, she campaigned for more investment in renewable energy from wind, solar and hydro power.

On Saturday, Godfrey criticized Green MLA Megan Mitton for not bringing investments in environmentally friendly technologies to the Tantramar area.

“This is part of the job of the MLA to bring in the investment and the NDP has a platform to actually encourage green business investment and research here.”

Godfrey added that, as a academic archeologist, she’s been involved in conducting research herself.

“I know how research and development is set up and funded and I’m ready, right now, to hit the ground running and get this investment into the province and get people to set up the businesses here which will help jobs and the economy as well.”

Policy forum

Evelyne Godfrey poses with federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh when he visited Dieppe on August 15 for National Acadian Day. Photo submitted

Godfrey says she’s planning to hold a policy forum somewhere in the riding the weekend after Labour Day where NDP members and supporters will be able to discuss the specifics of local election issues.

“People can come out, look at the NDP policy platform and give their input into what they want to see locally in terms of health care, housing, cost of living, education and the economy here because we are a democratic party and it all depends on our members.”

Note: Godfrey grew up in Sackville, but moved away at 19 to pursue studies and a career as an archeologist specializing in artifacts from the Iron Age. She returned to the area in 2018, took up residence in Port Elgin and taught archeology at Mount Allison before the university shut down its anthropology department.

Godfrey still has a residence in England where she serves as an elected member of the board of directors of the Midcounties Co-Operative which has 750,000 members. Among other things, the Co-Op runs food stores, day-cares, a renewable energy company, post offices and a mobile phone business.