By Mark Squibb/January 6, 2023
rising cost of living topped his list of concerns in 2022.
“And they’re going to remain the biggest challenges in 2023, because I don’t think anything has really changed,” said Lane.
The independent Member said that concerns with healthcare span the whole gamut, ranging from a lack of family doctors to long wait times at collaborative and walk-in clinics, overcrowded emergency rooms, and poor service from 811.
“There have been doctors who have shut down their practises in the Mount Pearl area, and those who are apparently going to shut down their practises,” said Lane. “In fairness to government, it would be very easy for me, or any Opposition member, to play politics with this, and blame it all on (Health Minister) Tom Osborne.”
Instead, Lane placed the blame on Osborne’s predecessor Dr. John Haggie.
“Osborne inherited a mess,” said Lane. “And quite frankly, that falls on the shoulder of the former Minister of Health who was in that role for some six or seven years, a significant period of time. We had those issues back then, things were getting progressively worse, and when myself and other members of the Opposition would stand up in the House, day after day raising these concerns, he was dismissive, day after day, and basically blamed everything on COVID. And I’m not saying COVID didn’t have an impact on our province, it certainly did.”
Lane said if initiatives being implemented today were implemented years ago, we may not be experiencing some of the current problems.
“But the minister of the day, which is the same government as today really, decided to sit on their hands, and not address their issues, and ignore what Opposition members were saying,” said Lane.
He acknowledged that government has created a number of good initiatives, such as spending more on recruitment and retention. But many of those initiatives won’t bear fruit for months, even years to come, he argued.
Lane said more money needs to be spent now addressing health care concerns in the interim, which means the provinces need to lobby Ottawa for more health care funding.
As to Lane’s other big concern – the rising cost of living – Lane said the first step would be for Ottawa to scrap the carbon tax which is set to come into effect in Newfoundland this summer.
“Go after the big polluters,” said Lane. “Let them pay for their own emissions. Require them to take action. And make them pay for it.”
He also said that should government push electric vehicles to combat climate change, those vehicles need to be more affordable and more charging stations need to be built.
Lane also criticized the implementation of the provincial sugar tax during a time when people are struggling.
Meanwhile, despite the challenges, Lane said the people of his district, which includes a portion of Mount Pearl and Southlands, have fared well, and he remains optimistic for the future.
Lane has worn many hats over the years. He started off in politics as a councillor on Mount Pearl council. He transitioned to provincial politics getting elected as a member of the PC Party in 2011. In that position, Lane was exposed as being at the centre of efforts by some PC Party operatives to goose the public opinion polls in the Tories’ favour, by manipulating votes on such things as the VOCM Question of the Day.
And while Lane was a supporter of the Muskrat Falls deal crafted by Danny Williams, he crossed the floor to join the Liberals in 2014 when then Premier Kathy Dunderdale ran afoul of public opinion during a major electricity blackout, caused in part by Nalcor’s failure to properly maintain its existing infrastructure as it diverted hundreds of millions of taxpayers’ dollars every year to the Muskrat Falls project.
Lane was eventually suspended from the Liberal party in 2016 for voting against the provincial budget, which had gone afoul of public opinion because of a special levy aimed at trying to rectify the state of the public finances which were left in a dangerous state by the previous PC administration.
While his critics might say Lane has been quick to jump ship whenever public opinion appears to be turning against whatever side he is on, the voters in his district have stuck with Lane wherever he goes. He has won two elections as an Independent, one in 2019 and then again in 2021. The next provincial election isn’t scheduled until 2025.
Lane said he enjoys the freedom that comes with sitting as an Independent.
“It’s liberating,” said Lane. “It’s given me total freedom to speak my mind, and say whatever I want, when I want, take whatever position I want, and vote however best suits my district.”
Lane said he has a great relationship with the other politicians in the legislature — especially those on the Opposition side — and he doesn’t get any grief for sitting as an Independent.
“I have friends in all parties,” said Lane. “I’ve often heard the analogy, and it’s true, of two hockey teams. I play for Toronto, you play for Montreal. We go out on the ice, and we beat each other on the boards, and have a scattered fight and a donnybrook over in the corner, and then after the game we go out and have a beer together and laugh and talk about the game. Politics should be the same way.”
On a personal note, Lane said he was glad to welcome a new grandson in 2022, as his daughter Chelsea Lane gave birth to a baby boy in December.
Lane said he is proud of Chelsea for getting elected to Mount Pearl City Council in 2021, and continuing to serve throughout 2022, even following the birth of baby Max.
“The big thing for me in 2022 and in 2023 is family, and my three grandchildren, who I love dearly,” said Lane.
Mark Squibb
