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Michelle Hodgson

NDP candidate for District 4: Belfast - Murray River

Affordability

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Cell & Internet services

NDP's promises

Recognise cell and Internet services as essential

Complete an Island-wide fibre high-speed network

Subsidise Internet packages for all families with students in school

Eliminate cell phone dead zones

Childcare

NDP's promises

Implement free, universal public childcare

"Go above and beyond the current federal child care initiative to establish permanent, free and universal public child care – creating jobs and helping Islanders get back to work." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Develop province-wide before- and after-school childcare programmes

Increase wages of childcare workers

Dental care and optometry

NDP's promise

Work with the federal government to create a universal dental care programme

Food prices

NDP's promises

Provide a $30/week coupon for farmers' market of community-supported food purchases

"Introduce a market nutrition coupon, providing a minimum of $30/week toward farmers’ market or community-supported food purchases." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Call for an investigation into rising food prices

"Follow the federal NDP’s lead and call for an investigation into out-of-control food costs on Prince Edward Island." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Remove the $5.50 cost for the PEI lunch programme, and provide a free breakfast and lunch programme for all students

"Remove the suggested $5.50 cost of the PEI lunch program and implement a free breakfast and lunch program for all Island students." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Fuel and transportation costs

NDP's promise

Provide an exemption for the gas tax

"Bring in a gasoline tax exemption, easing approximately 8.5 cents per litre for Island drivers." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Minimum wage

NDP's promises

Increase the minimum wage to $17/hour, and tie it to inflation

Create a plan for providing a guaranteed livable basic income

Poverty

NDP's promises

Raise incomes for Islanders receiving social assistance

"Raise social assistance rates to realistic levels that boost households above the Market Basket poverty line." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Create a plan for providing a guaranteed livable basic income

Extend inflationary support payments through 2025

"Extend inflationary support payments to individuals and families through 2025." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Broaden eligibility and double annual support through the PEI Home Heating Program until 2025

Prescription drugs & pharmacare

NDP's promise

Work with the federal government to create a universal pharmacare programme

Public transit

NDP's promises

Develop a regional and urban public transit network

Offer free public transit for people with incomes under $40K

Create a province-wide, publicly-owned transit system, run on renewable energy

Student loans

NDP's promises

Convert government loans to grants

"Giving young people a chance by converting government loans to grants, so students aren’t graduating with massive debts." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Retroactively remove interest on provincial student loans

Tax measures and rebates

NDP's promises

Give back more of the provincial portion of the quarterly HST rebate to eligible Islanders

Lobby for a federal wealth tax

"Create a new bracket for PEI’s highest income earners, while lobbying for a federal wealth tax and closing of tax loopholes for the rich." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Create a new tax bracket for the highest income earners

Climate Change & the Environment

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Climate adaptation

NDP's promises

Study converting Maritime Electric and the power grid to public ownership

"Studying the possibility of converting Maritime Electric and the power grid to public ownership, with the intent of moving towards a 100% Island-sourced renewable energy grid." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Invest in burying power lines

Dedicate funding and update the Municipal Government Act to allow municipalities to invest in climate infrastructure

"Empowering municipalities to tackle their climate infrastructure needs with dedicated funding and changes to the Municipal Government Act." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Supporting smaller agricultural operations' climate resilience with equipment and tax incentives

Energy generation

NDP's promise

Move towards a 100% Island-sourced renewable energy grid

Green construction and retrofits

NDP's promises

Start an energy retrofit programme, targeting 3% of buildings per year

Require buildings to reach net-zero by 2032, with mandatory energy efficiency disclosure

Expand dedicated community college training streams for energy efficiency and renewable workforces

Dedicate funding and update the Municipal Government Act to allow municipalities to invest in climate infrastructure

"Empowering municipalities to tackle their climate infrastructure needs with dedicated funding and changes to the Municipal Government Act." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

"Launch an energy retrofit program, targeting 3% of PEI’s buildings per year to save money, cut emissions and create new jobs. This will include a step code for buildings to reach net-zero by 2032 and mandatory building and home energy efficiency disclosure." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Green tech

NDP's promises

Immediately create a Green Jobs Task Force

"Immediately establish a Green Jobs Task Force to guide the transformation of PEI’s economy into a sustainable one, while creating thousands of green jobs. This task force will include representatives from community, labour, business and environmental organizations, Mi’kmaq and Black communities, municipalities, agriculture and fisheries, universities and colleges." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Support innovation in renewable energy generation and storage

"Support innovation in renewable energy generation and storage – creating jobs in wind, solar and other sources of natural power." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Green transportation

NDP's promise

Create a network of electric car charging stations

Land

NDP's promises

Ensure meaningful public participation when assessing environmental impacts

Amend the Lands Protection Act

"Work to amend the Lands Protection Act, to protect our natural environment against further questionable commercial encroachment." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Renew legislating protecting species at risk, and update the current list of species

"Renew legislation to protect species at risk, ensuring that the current list of species is complete" — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Public transit

NDP's promises

Develop a regional and urban public transit network

Offer free public transit for people with incomes under $40K

Create a province-wide, publicly-owned transit system, run on renewable energy

Water

NDP's promises

Update the Water Act to address agricultural impacts

Provide secure funding and technical support for community-based watershed groups

Establish a moratorium on offshore drilling

Ban high-capacity wells

Education

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Indigenous learning

NDP's promises

Ensure the cultural history of PEI taught in social studies includes stories of Indigenous, Métis, and Acadian people

Work with Mi'kmaq leaders and educators to update curriculum to reflect Mi'kmaq experiences and histories

K-12 funding

NDP's promises

Remove the $5.50 cost for the PEI lunch programme, and provide a free breakfast and lunch programme for all students

"Remove the suggested $5.50 cost of the PEI lunch program and implement a free breakfast and lunch program for all Island students." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Integrate environmental and outdoor education

"Integrating environmental and outdoor education into public school curricula." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Maintain a school transportation system that meets needs

"Maintaining a school transportation system that meets the needs of all public school students, including those who participate in after-school activities." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Remove fees associated with school supplies, field trips, and fundraising

"Eliminating fees and financial pressure associated with school supplies, field trips and fundraising activities." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Hire 50 more learning assistance teachers and educational assistants over three years

Cap classes for grades 4-8 at 20 students, and reduce high school class sizes

"Cap classes for grades 4 through 8 at 20, and reduce high school classes to ensure students at every age get the support and attention they deserve." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Learning needs

NDP's promises

Provide wraparound care for students experiencing trauma and mental health issues, including staff training

"Ensuring wraparound care for students experiencing trauma and mental health issues, including training of school staff and integration of community resources." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Increase funding for autism services for children and youth

Provide targeted support for students with ADHD

"Providing targeted support for students with ADHD, including a clear referral and assessment pathway and training in early intervention for education professionals." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Provide training to resource teachers and educational assistants in trauma-informed care, restorative conflict resolution, and literacy instruction

Post-secondary costs and tuition

NDP's promises

Eliminate community college tuition fees by 2026

Freeze and reduce university tuition fees, with the goal of eliminating all tuition fees

School construction and upgrades

NDP's promises

Increase the budget for school upgrades

"Increasing the provincial budget to finish school upgrades." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Study building new schools to offset aging buildings, with attention to reducing student commute times

"Launching a study on building new schools to offset aging buildings, with attention to locations where students currently face long commute times." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Student loans

NDP's promises

Convert government loans to grants

"Giving young people a chance by converting government loans to grants, so students aren’t graduating with massive debts." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Retroactively remove interest on provincial student loans

Student mental health

NDP's promises

Provide trained mental health staff to all schools

Increase funding for student well-being teams

Provide wraparound care for students experiencing trauma and mental health issues, including staff training

"Ensuring wraparound care for students experiencing trauma and mental health issues, including training of school staff and integration of community resources." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Adopt a restorative conflict resolution practice in schools for tackling bullying

"Tackling bullying effectively in partnership with community leaders and organizations, including adoption of a restorative conflict resolution practice in schools." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Health & Healthcare

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Access to abortion services

NDP's promise

Fully-fund medical and surgical abortion services, and increase access across the Island, especially in rural areas

Ambulance and emergency wait-times

NDP's promises

Hire physician assistants to ease pressure on regional hospitals

Provide speical bonus funding for secure staffing at district hospital emergency rooms

Create a publicly-owned agency to operate extramural emergency medical services

Provide clear standards for the delivery of ER services and ambulance response times

Expand Holland College's paramedic training programmes

Dental care and optometry

NDP's promise

Work with the federal government to create a universal dental care programme

Drugs and addiction

NDP's promises

Develop community-based youth addiction and prevention programmes

Include harm reduction centres in community health hubs

Gender-affirming care

NDP's promise

Provide and cover a full range of gender-affirming care services

Long-term care

NDP's promises

Prioritise livable wages, stable work, and health and safety for long-term and home-care workers

Improving living spaces, programming, and staffing for residents with dementia and severe impairment

Require a standard number of daily hours of care for nursing home and community care residents

Work with other governments to develop national care standards

"Work with the federal, provincial and territorial governments to develop national care standards." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Expand the scope of practice of personal care workers

Invest in training programmes and incentives to address staffing shortages

Push back on privatisation

Mental health

NDP's promises

Provide mental health therapy through the PEI health card

"Implement mental health therapy through the PEI health card, allowing Islanders to choose the best services for their needs." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Improve e-health accessibility

"Improve accessibility of our province’s complicated and under-utilized e-health system." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Natal care

NDP's promise

Legislate, provide certification for, and regulate integrated, publicly-funded midwifery services

Prescription drugs & pharmacare

NDP's promise

Work with the federal government to create a universal pharmacare programme

Prevention and treatment

NDP's promises

Improve access to programmes that support healthy living and disease prevention

Provide comprehensive services for people with, or at risk of, HIV, including harm reduction and anonymous HIV testing

Primary care

NDP's promise

Create "health hubs" where primary care teams would provide services

"Establish health hubs where primary care teams provide services to individuals in their communities." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Rural healthcare

NDP's promises

Increase rural practicum and residency placements for medical students and graduates

"Boosting practicum and residency placements for medical students and graduates with experienced rural physicians." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Provide incentives for locum physicians to fill gaps in rural clinics

Senior at-home care

NDP's promises

Prioritise livable wages, stable work, and health and safety for long-term and home-care workers

Provide OT, physio, social work, personal support, and home help in the public home care programme

"Strengthen the full-range complement of professional services in the publicly managed home care program – OT, physio, social work, personal support and home help." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Create a Caregiver Tax Credit

"Create a substantial Caregiver Tax Credit to provide real financial support to family caregivers." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Push back on privatisation

Seniors' health & services

NDP's promise

Create a PEI Retirement Pension Plan, with benefits indexed to inflation

Sexual and reproductive health

NDP's promises

Invest in public education about sexuality, gender, consent, and sexual and reproductive health

Fully cover contraceptive drugs and devices

Provide comprehensive services for people with, or at risk of, HIV, including harm reduction and anonymous HIV testing

Staffing shortages

NDP's promises

Fast-track licensing of foreign-trained health professionals

Hire physician assistants to ease pressure on regional hospitals

Create a travel nurse programme

Training more staff

NDP's promises

Fully-fund the new medical faculty at UPEI

Increase rural practicum and residency placements for medical students and graduates

"Boosting practicum and residency placements for medical students and graduates with experienced rural physicians." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Expand Holland College's paramedic training programmes

Housing & Homelessness

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Affordable housing

NDP's promises

Require 25% of units in government-funded developments to be affordable for 25 years

"Require 25 for 25 for government-funded developments, meaning 25% of units are kept affordable for 25 years and developers are locked into this commitment." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Create 5K public affordable units, rented out and maintained by the province

"Invest to create 5,000 public affordable units to be rented out and maintained by the province, providing assured housing stock during hard times." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Increase support for municipal, co-op, and non-profit housing

"Increase support for municipal, co-op, community development and service organizations – groups that are selflessly providing housing for those in need." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Legislate a cost definition for housing affordability, at 25% of the average monthly income on minimum wage

"Legislate the cost definition of affordability using the a formula that is based on minimum wage income. Affordability is calculated at 25% of average monthly income on minimum wage." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Home construction and supply

NDP's promise

Update the housing building code to allow for unique housing structures

"Update the housing building code to allow for unique housing structures like bunkies, tiny houses and off-grid living." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Public housing

NDP's promise

Create 5K public affordable units, rented out and maintained by the province

"Invest to create 5,000 public affordable units to be rented out and maintained by the province, providing assured housing stock during hard times." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Rental housing

NDP's promises

Require the same rent to be charged to a new tenant as the previous one

"Add regulation to maintain the same rent charged to the previous tenant." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Create and manage a provincial rent registry

Update the Residential Tenancy Act to better protect renters

Short-term rentals

NDP's promise

Create a Short-Term Rental Act to support municipalities

"Develop the Short-Term Rental Act to support municipalities facing short-term rental issues, and step in if needed with provincial regulations." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Jobs

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Agriculture

NDP's promises

Protect and expand supply management

"Protect and expand supply management, to ensure farmers are fairly compensated and able to cover production costs." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Create a new regenerative agricultural network

"Create jobs for workers, opportunities for farmers and sustainability for PEI agriculture with a new Regenerative Agricultural Network." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Increase support for using organic and sustainable practices

Gig and contract workers

NDP's promises

Ensure all workers, regardless of job, can qualify for benefits such as overtime, sick days, and holidays

"Bringing in legislation to ensure that all workers, regardless of job, can qualify for benefits such as overtime, sick days and holidays." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Hold companies responsible for the health and safety of employees hired through temp agencies

"Standing up for gig and contract workers, holding companies responsible for the health and safety of employees hired through temp agencies." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Minimum wage

NDP's promises

Increase the minimum wage to $17/hour, and tie it to inflation

Create a plan for providing a guaranteed livable basic income

Seafood, fishing, and aquaculture

NDP's promise

Create a Grow, Feed, and Buy PEI programme to support local farmers, fishers, growers, wineries, and breweries

"Establish a Grow, Feed and Buy PEI program to increase food security and local business growth – supporting local farmers, fishers, growers, wineries and breweries.

○ Grow PEI will help young farmers access land, and support farmers and processors to expand local food production.

○ Feed PEI will increase the use of PEI-grown and processed foods – including agricultural products and seafood – in hospitals, schools, and other government facilities.

○ Buy PEI will help local producers and processors market their products by re-establishing a strong, recognizable Buy PEI brand and supporting industry-led Buy PEI marketing activities." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Sick leave

NDP's promise

Increase paid sick days

Startups and small businesses

NDP's promises

Increase contracting of local companies for government procurement, and consider social, economic, and environmental factors

"Improve the government procurement process to increase contracting of local companies and consider social, economic and environmental factors – such as good wages, local jobs and hiring a diverse workforce." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Create an office to support the development of worker/producer coops

Tourism

NDP's promise

Increase the provincial budget for arts, culture, and tourism

Trades

NDP's promises

Eliminate community college tuition fees by 2026

Ease restrictions on qualified immigrant workers getting credentials

"Easing the restrictions qualified immigrant workers face in attaining the credentials to work on PEI." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Work with trade unions to create trades colleges and training institutions, operated through trade unions

"Working with trade unions to assist in the creation of trades colleges and training institutions, operated through trade unions." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Increase funding to organisations that encourage women in the trades

"Encourage women in trades through increased funding to organizations such as the PEI Women’s Network and the Trade HERizons program." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Unions

NDP's promises

Respect collective bargaining rights

Update labour laws to protect workers from dismissal without cause

Enact anti-scab legislation

Society & Government

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Disabilities and accessibility

NDP's promises

Update labour laws to accommodate disabilities

Ensure PEI is compliant with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Elections & electoral reform

NDP's promises

Make voting and voter registration easier

Make election dates public holidays

Lower the voting age to 16

Start a Citizen's Assembly on Electoral Reform to examine alternatives to first-past-the-post

"Launch a Citizen’s Assembly on Electoral Reform to examine alternatives to the first-past-the-post system, and issues such as low voter turnout." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Justice and legal aid

NDP's promise

Double investment in the Violence Against Women Prevention Grant

Local government

NDP's promise

Dedicate funding and update the Municipal Government Act to allow municipalities to invest in climate infrastructure

"Empowering municipalities to tackle their climate infrastructure needs with dedicated funding and changes to the Municipal Government Act." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

Racism and diversity

NDP's promises

Update labour laws to ensure diverse and equitable hiring

Ensure the cultural history of PEI taught in social studies includes stories of Black Islanders, immigrants, Indigenous, Métis, and Acadian people

Expand the Anti-Racism Microgrant programme

Reconciliation

NDP's promises

Fulfill all Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission within provincial jurisdiction

Uphold the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

Misc. topics

Children and youth

NDP's promise

Ensure all students have access to art and sports opportunities, regardless of family income

"Making sure all students regardless of family income have access to opportunities in arts and sports." — NDP Platform 2023, 2023-03-09

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Biography

from their website

Michelle owns “Salvage Garden Consignment” in Murray River and is a supply teacher for the Public Schools Branch. She organizes and runs the Main Street Farmer’s Market in Murray River as well as various other community events and initiatives. Michelle’s commitment to the community of Belfast-Murray River is evident in her involvement in community events, small business collaboration and her vibrant enthusiasm for “Down East”.

“The political options are out there and I’m excited to be representing the Island New Democrats,” says Hodgson. “Islanders are choosing between heating their home, paying for prescriptions or rent. I’ve heard from so many people in our communities that need changes, that’s why I’m putting my name forward so we can get a better deal.”

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