Younger: NDP Fails to Meet With Community Group As Promised

October 7, 2011

(Halifax, NS) Liberal environment critic Andrew Younger says the NDP’s Minister of Health and Wellness has failed to fulfill her public commitment to meet with citizens impacted by fly ash in Trenton and discuss their concerns about the health implications of the emissions.
 
“In the legislature, Minister MacDonald said if she received a request from the group that she ‘would be prepared to meet with them’,” explains Younger. “On three separate occasions the group requested a meeting with the minister and on three separate occasions the group has been turned down. They have not yet had their meeting and it doesn't appear the promised health study has even been started.”
 
The citizens are members of the Hillside-Trenton Environment Watch Association which has concerns that were supposed to be addressed with a health study conducted on the plant and its emissions.
 
“This is another example of the NDP failing to complete and release an important report in a timely manner,” says Younger. “Residents were promised the report long ago and they are still waiting for its release.”

Peter Boyles, spokesperson for the concerned community association, says the Health Minister’s word is no good. Younger agrees.

“In opposition the NDP took the concerns of these residents seriously - now in government, the NDP is simply ignoring the residents. They have no report, no meeting, and apparently no one in government cares.”

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