This week in O’Leary, our overlords within the Shaw Building opened a new healthcare clinic.

Let’s be clear, this step from ‘hospital’ to ‘clinic’ is being billed by the Minister of Voids and Vacuums, Carolyn Bertram, and the Premier, as a step toward the future of healthcare in Prince Edward Island. I guess that’s true enough, especially given the fact that under this government, the future holds little hope for healthcare services in rural PEI.

The words of the Premier spell it out, albeit in a poorly masked code...

”that similar population sizes in the province have equitable access to primary health care services...”

A mouthful that, in other words, suggests that areas of lower population like Eastern PEI, won't have even remotely equitable services available in the near future, aka, right after the next election. Healthcare will be skeleton to the east of the doors of the QEH in Charlottetown.

What's next? Band-aid vending machines next to the outgoing mailbox at the Post Office? Or...please hold, your call is very important to us...

To Souris and Montague my advice is clear, “Brace, brace, brace!”