The future of the Sackville hospital has been a hot topic during this provincial election campaign, with candidates either promising they will fight to keep it running at full capacity, or positioning themselves as the best hope for doing so.

But where did the parties stand when hospital cuts were first proposed in February, and what role did each play in the eventual pause put on the plan to convert acute care beds and cut overnight ER hours?

CHMA checked in with three candidates, all those who attended last Wednesday’s debate in Sackville, to find out how they see the role of their respective parties in the fight to save services at the Sackville hospital.

Here’s what they each had to say:

Carole Duguay, PC

"The credit for actually stopping the reduced hours at the hospital—because they weren’t closures—goes out to the public who stepped up, were there with signs, including Ms Mitton.

They were the ones who voiced out their concern. And I also give credit for the premier, having stepped up, admitted that he was wrong. That’s not everybody who will do that. And admitted publicly, in your newspaper, and said he would consult again.

So as I mentioned, most of the credit goes out to the people who took time, stepped out there, and said they would not agree and would not support this. And for the premier to listen as well."

Megan Mitton, Green:

"In record time, in the minority government at the time, when people in all six rural areas went out in the streets, and we organized rallies in front of the hospitals, it stopped the government in their tracks.

And I helped to bring together a community meeting—there were hundreds of people there—where we discussed a plan and we came up with a committee that has representation from across the riding, to make sure that we are ready the next time… To stop this plan, but the next time any government might try again. Because this isn’t the first time we’ve seen this plan come forward. The Liberals brought it before.

In terms of what happened in the legislature, the leader of my party did negotiate in budget discussions and got the premier to say in the legislature that he would take the overnight ERs off the table.

And our community worked hard and called for consultations, and the premier did agree to that. And the premier did come over to our ante room after he said that publicly, and and confirmed that. So that’s part of what part of what happened."

Maxime Bourgeois, Liberal:

"Well, I think that from the moment it was announced that they wanted to go forward with it, the Liberal Party said it wasn’t right and fought to turn the decision.

And actually we have Robert Gauvin, that is now part of our government, that actually stepped down as a PC and went independent. And he was instrumental in stopping the PC to go forward with their plan.

So I think our government just fought throughout. I wasn’t there. I was sort of watching what was going on from the sideline. But our, the Liberal government fought really hard in the legislature and with the community. It wasn’t even their riding, but the MLA from Shediac and Kevin Vickers came to this riding on multiple occasions for the rallies to support the hospital. So I think that says a lot when a candidate from another riding comes to support this riding."