"I have asked the Minister on four occasions to provide information to the House about what criteria is being used," said Thistle. "When government reorganized School Boards earlier this Spring, they used no set criteria and rushed into a bad decision they could not defend. All I am asking of the minister at this point is to provide details of the criteria being used. I have stood twice in question period and twice to present a petition and the minister refuses to answer the people’s concerns.

"On a daily basis, I receive phone calls, letters and petitions from concerned citizens who feel the board office should be in Grand Falls - Windsor. The Chamber of Commerce has made representation to government, also to no avail. Ray Hunter, the MHA for Windsor-Springdale district claims he is working on the file, but we are obviously seeing no results. It is time that the minister be up front and accountable.

"If the minister is willing to develop a set of criteria for locating consolidated health boards, I am confident that Grand Falls-Windsor will be the choice. I fear that without proper criteria, government will make the wrong decision again and try to legitimize it later."

Approximately 85 per cent of the population between Baie Verte and Eastport are less than an hour’s drive from the Town of Grand Falls-Windsor. The Central West Health Care Board office in Grand Falls-Windsor can provide administrative space to accommodate two of these boards at no additional cost to government, an opportunity to save money government cannot refuse.