![\"Text](\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/a\/assets\/texttospeech.svg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Listen to this article<\/p>\n
Estimated 5 minutes<\/p>\n
The audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.<\/p>\n
Cornwall resident Colleen McGaughey is still weighing her options as voters in District 16 prepare to head to the polls in Monday\u2019s byelection.<\/p>\n
Cornwall-Meadowbank was previously represented by former Progressive Conservative cabinet minister Mark McLane, who died in March.<\/p>\n
McGaughey, who describes herself as an undecided voter, attended a roundtable discussion hosted by CBC’s Island Morning on Thursday to hear directly from the candidates.<\/p>\n
\u201cHealth care, of course,\u201d she said when asked about the issue that matters most to her.<\/p>\n
That was one of several key issues discussed during the roundtable featuring Progressive Conservative candidate Caley McDonald, Liberal Leader Robert Mitchell and the Green Party’s Tayte Willows. NDP candidate Craig Nash was unable to attend due to health issues<\/a>.<\/p>\n McGaughey said she has a family doctor, but her husband has much more limited access to care.<\/p>\n \u201cWe’re very fortunate because he’s a fairly healthy individual, but that’s not the case for everyone,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe heard a lot about hiring new physicians and nurse practitioners. It’s great to hire someone, but if they’re not treated with the respect that they deserve, they’re not going to stay, and that’s been shown over and over.\u201d<\/p>\n LISTEN | District 16 byelection roundtable:<\/p>\n Island Morning50:42District 16 byelection roundtable<\/p>\n We invited all candidates running in the District 16 byelection to take part in a roundtable discussion. While NDP candidate Craig Nash was unable to attend, Liberal candidate Robert Mitchell, Green candidate Tayte Willows and PC candidate Caley McDonald joined us to discuss leadership, seniors’ housing, health care and other key issues.Candidates differ on health-care solutions<\/p>\n Each of the candidates named health care as a top concern, but they differed in their fixes.<\/p>\n Willows, who works for Health P.E.I., said the first step is to \u201ctake the politics out of health care,\u201d pointing to concerns about how the province\u2019s health-care system is being undermined by political interference<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWe need to take that approach out of it so that professionals who know what they’re doing can be engaged and can create a long-term plan for our province.\u201d<\/p>\n But Mitchell said what some call \u201cpolitical interference\u201d is often just an MLA doing their job.<\/p>\n \u201cIt’s not political interference when you’re helping your constituents fight through a system that has been deteriorating for many, many years,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Mitchell said the bigger issue is a lack of accountability and transparency in the system, adding that he pushed for legislative changes to improve that when he was health minister with the then-Liberal government in 2019.<\/p>\n McDonald, a registered massage therapist, said the province has made progress, but more work is needed on both recruitment and retention.<\/p>\n \u201cWe’re training Islanders right here at home now through the UPEI medical school<\/a>, which is a huge bonus,\u201d she said. \u201cThose graduates are going to have the opportunity to stay at home and do their residencies here.\u201d<\/p>\n She added that expanding patient medical homes, where Islanders can access different types of care providers in one location, will be an important part of improving access.<\/p>\n District’s growth brings infrastructure worries<\/p>\n McGaughey said she’s also concerned Cornwall’s rapid growth is outpacing the services available.<\/p>\n \u201cThere’s a lot of talk about growing and people coming to the community, and I think it’s time for everybody to take a step back and make sure we have the infrastructure for the people that are already here,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n All three candidates agreed that Cornwall, one of P.E.I.’s fastest-growing communities, needs more investment in infrastructure. <\/p>\n They also said they would advocate for the expansion of the town’s APM Centre<\/a>.<\/p>\n Care for seniors another a key concern<\/p>\n Seniors\u2019 care also came up during the discussion after an audience member asked about long-term care in the growing community.<\/p>\n![\"Three](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1783801449_404_default.jpg\")
From left, Liberal Leader Robert Mitchell, Progressive Conservative candidate Caley McDonald and Green Party candidate Tayte Willows debate during a roundtable discussion hosted by CBC’s Island Morning on Thursday. (Thinh Nguyen\/CBC)<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1783801450_323_default.jpg\")
Community members gather at the Ember Room of the North River Fire Department in Cornwall on Thursday for an all-candidate roundtable hosted by CBC’s Island Morning. (Thinh Nguyen\/CBC)<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1783801450_905_default.jpg\")
<\/p>\n