Housing, DME receivership, party support: P.E.I. NDP Leader Joe Byrne reflects on 2018

The New Democratic Party of P.E.I. may not have any elected MLAs, but leader Joe Byrne has kept a close eye on the legislature.

Byrne reflected on the political issues of 2018 during a year-end interview with CBC News: Compass host Louise Martin

Byrne says there are several political issues that stood out to him over the course of the year, including the housing shortage on P.E.I., his concerns about Diversified Metal Engineering going into receivership and where the party stands in Island politics.

'Housing crisis'

The most recent numbers from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation indicate avacancy rate on the Island of just 0.3 per cent. Byrne doesn't think the province has done enough to address the issue.

"I appreciate some of the efforts that are going in there. It seems a bit longer on rhetoric and a little shorter on action than I would like," Byrne said.

He says the NDP's housing response would be to focus on including the private, public and not-for-profit sectors.

"We can't rely on market fundamentalism to address the housing crisis. The private sector is a great player in delivering housing, but it's not the only one."

Concerns about DME receivership

With the holidays approaching, Byrne said he was sad to hear thatDMEhad gone into receivership.

The company makesequipment for food and beverage industries, including equipment and components for craft brewing operations and employed about 165 people in Charlottetown.

Our task as a party was to make sure that Islanders know that we're listening. Joe Byrne

He says he feels for the workers who are now out of work something he says would be particularly difficultclose to the holiday season. He also said he thinks the province can play a role in improving the situation.

"The workers that are there are experienced workers. They know how to make product," he said.

"And so I think the first job of government in that is to say we have a good company, let's find ways to restructure it to make sure that they can deliver that product to market, and provide good paying jobs for Islanders."

6 per cent support

The latest poll by Corporate Research Associates indicates support for the provincial NDP at six per cent.

"Would it be nice if they were three or four times higher? Absolutely. But I don't put a lot of emphasis on the numbers, because the numbers will change," said Byrne.

"Our task as a party was to make sure that Islanders know that we're listening."

The interview with Byrne is the first in a series of scheduled year-end interview with the leaders of all four P.E.I. political parties.

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