'This is a crisis': N.B. residents hope for better health-care plan following meetings in Ottawa

New Brunswickers are hoping talks in Ottawa will not only lead to more funding for the health-care system, but also a better plan to help improve it.

The president of the Moncton Muslim Association says the province is in a crisis.

"One of our community members, M.S., passed away in a waiting room in the ER. That was a few months ago and, after that, I think there's been two or three more deaths in ERs in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick,” said Abdal Khan. “So, this is a crisis."

The New Brunswick Nurses Union (NBNU) also has a representative in Ottawa attending the Canadian Federation of Nurses Union national board meeting.

"We hear about the deaths in the ER wait rooms and what we're looking for is really some accountability to the dollars,” said Paula Doucet, the president of the NBNU.

“That they're invested properly to our health-care system in New Brunswick so that we can work on initiatives to retain our staff."

David Coon, New Brunswick’s Green Party leader, says he hopes to hold government accountable for how those funds are spent.

"We can't afford to put the money we receive into the pockets of investors as dividends in privately delivered health care,” said Coon.

“That doesn't make sense whatsoever. We need to provide care directly to New Brunswickers."

Coon says he hopes all four Atlantic premiers work together towards more health-care funding for the region.

New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs will give the state of the province address on Thursday.