Gatineau MNA-elect reaffirms party's plan for new hospital

The MNA-elect for Gatineau is promising his party will follow through on its commitment to build a new hospital in the region.

Robert Bussière, former mayor of La Pêche, won the riding for the Coalition Avenir Québec Monday night. He told CBC's All In A Day he's eager to take his seat in the National Assembly. 

"I am ready for it," Bussière told host Alan Neal.

We have to bring the services closer to the people.- Robert Bussière, Gatineau MNA-elect

The CAQ swept to power in Monday's election, taking three of five ridings in the Outaouais, for decades a Liberal stronghold.

During the campaign, CAQ Leader François Legault promised western Quebec a new hospital, and Bussière said the new government will make good on that pledge.

"We have to give better care to the people and add services. This is one of the reasons why there is an engagement by the party to build a new hospital in Gatineau, somewhere in Gatineau in the next four to five years," he said.

Where that new health facility will go needs to be worked out, but Bussière said in the meantime the province will boost services at local hospitals and ensure wages are competitive enough to keep doctors and nurses in the province.

Centralizing health services 'has to be undone'

Bussière said centralizing health services in Quebec hasn't worked.

"That has to be reworked, rearranged all over Quebec. The decision of the Liberal party in centralizing services has to be undone," he said. "We have to bring the services closer to the people."

Bussière also touched on his party's promise to abolish elected school boards. He said that change will empower schools and make them more responsive to the needs of parents.  

"It will give more power directly to the schools and will answer much more to their direct needs than it was in the past."

Some advocates in English-dominated areas of the province fear the move could diminish services for anglophone students.