As the 2025 provincial election campaign enters its final week, Justice Minister John Hogan is putting healthcare and cost of living front and center in his bid to retain his seat in the Windsor Lake district.
Walking through the Portugal Cove Road neighbourhood last Tuesday, Hogan stopped to chat with Eileen McCarthy, a retired nurse who didn’t mince words about her concerns.
“The wait times are killing us,” McCarthy told him, describing her 89-year-old mother’s 14-month wait for cataract surgery. “We can’t keep living like this.”
Hogan nodded, a practiced response after hearing similar stories throughout his campaign. “Healthcare is the number one issue I hear at the doors,” he later told me as we continued down the street. “People understand it’s complex, but they expect progress.”
The incumbent Liberal candidate’s focus reflects broader provincial tensions. Recent polling from MQO Research shows healthcare access remains the top concern for 68% of Newfoundland and Labrador voters, followed closely by affordability issues at 61%.
Behind these figures lies a healthcare system under extraordinary pressure. The Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association reports that nearly 125,000 residents lack a family doctor – roughly one in four citizens in a province already struggling with an aging population and geographic healthcare delivery challenges.
“We’ve made significant investments,” Hogan emphasized, pointing to recent funding for 20 new nursing positions at St. Clare’s Mercy Hospital and a $4.2 million allocation to expand the nurse practitioner program. “But turning around decades of system challenges takes time.”
His main opponent, Progressive Conservative candidate Kim Keating, has criticized the Liberal approach as “band-aid solutions for arterial bleeding.” At a debate last Thursday at Memorial University, Keating proposed a comprehensive healthcare restructuring plan that would see increased autonomy for regional health authorities.
Cost of living concerns follow closely behind healthcare in voter priorities. With inflation hovering at 3.8% provincially – slightly above the national average – many residents are feeling the pinch.
“I’m choosing between medications and groceries some weeks,” said Gerald Thompson, a 72-year-old retiree who stopped Hogan outside a Windsor Heights apartment complex. “My pension isn’t stretching like it used to.”
The province’s consumer price index shows food costs up 5.2% year-over-year, with housing and transportation costs not far behind. These numbers translate to real kitchen table decisions for many voters.
Hogan pointed to his government’s recent affordability measures, including the temporary fuel tax reduction and enhanced seniors’ benefit, as evidence of Liberal commitment to easing financial pressures.
“We recognize people are struggling,” he said. “Our approach balances immediate relief with sustainable fiscal management.”
Political scientist Alex Williams from Memorial University notes that Hogan’s messaging reflects the delicate position Liberal incumbents find themselves in across the province.
“They’re trying to acknowledge genuine voter frustrations while defending their record,” Williams explained. “It’s a challenging needle to thread when many voters are feeling economic anxiety.”
The final days of campaigning will see Hogan focusing on what he calls “community connection events” – small gatherings at local cafes and community centers where he can engage directly with constituents.
At Jumping Bean Coffee on Elizabeth Avenue, Hogan spent Wednesday morning fielding questions from a dozen residents. The conversation repeatedly returned to healthcare wait times and housing affordability.
Sarah Parsons, a 34-year-old software developer and first-time homebuyer, pressed Hogan on housing market interventions. “We saved for seven years and still barely managed a down payment,” she explained. “What concrete steps are you taking to help the middle class stay in this province?”
Hogan pointed to the recent first-time homebuyer tax credit and zoning reforms aimed at increasing housing supply. “We need multiple approaches to address affordability – there’s no single solution that fixes everything.”
This practical, measured approach characterizes Hogan’s campaign style. Rather than grand promises, he emphasizes incremental progress and what he calls “realistic governance.”
The latest Narrative Research poll shows the Windsor Lake race remains tight, with Hogan holding a slight 4-point lead over his PC challenger. The district has traditionally been a bellwether for provincial trends, swinging between parties in four of the last five elections.
As he wrapped up a day of door-knocking near Churchill Square, Hogan reflected on what he believes will ultimately decide the election.
“People want to know you understand their everyday challenges,” he said. “They’re less interested in partisan battles than in knowing their elected officials are working on solutions that make their lives better.”
Whether this pragmatic approach resonates with enough voters remains to be seen. With just days until ballots are cast, both healthcare access and cost of living pressures will likely determine not just Hogan’s fate, but the direction of Newfoundland and Labrador politics for years to come.