SOURIS, P.E.I. -- The Liberal party in P.E.I. is promising to spend $1 million on a program that would see paramedics visit people in their homes.
While campaigning Wednesday in Souris, Premier Wade MacLauchlan announced a community paramedic program intended to address less urgent medical issues while preserving existing ambulance services, which he said the Liberals would also expand.
The new paramedic program would be introduced in Eastern Kings before spreading to other rural parts of P.E.I., MacLauchlan said.
He said a Liberal government would also pursue discussions on the introduction in the province of a bachelor of science in paramedicine.
The provincial Progressive Conservatives are committing to freeze pay for politicians until the budget is balanced and to no longer provide the premier and cabinet ministers with a taxpayer-funded vehicle and credit cards.
Tory leader Rob Lantz said in a statement that their accountability platform reflects a change in attitude and a desire to restore "the moral compass of the government."
He also promised to bring in a lobbyist registry and whistleblower legislation, among other initiatives.
The NDP also picked up on the theme of government accountability, saying they would create an independent fiscal accountability office that would be modelled after the Parliamentary Budget Office in Ottawa.
NDP Leader Mike Redmond said the office would forecast the impacts of programs and expenditures and produce annual reports.
