Fred Hutton, MHA for Conception Bay East – Bell Island, is advocating for his constituent who is facing an unnecessary barrier to applying to Memorial University’s Faculty of Medicine.
A Newfoundland and Labrador student should never face barriers to acceptance into Memorial University’s Faculty of Medicine because her family relocated for military service.
“Memorial University was built and named to commemorate our military veterans, and that sacrifice should never stand in the way of one’s education. The Liberal government increased the number of seats at the Faculty of Medicine for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to give more students from our province the opportunity to study and practice medicine here at home.”
MHA Bernard Davis, Opposition Critic for Advanced Education and Skills, is responding to Minister Dinn’s statement that it is too late to address the matter to allow students like Rebecca McDonald to be eligible for the Faculty of Medicine as a Newfoundland and Labrador resident.
“Minister Dinn is wrong. Under the Memorial University Act, the government has the authority to designate other appropriate requirements to qualify as a resident. When the Liberal government amended the Act, we ensured there was regulation-making authority to address unique situations such as this.”
Section 69 of the Memorial University Act defines “Newfoundland and Labrador resident” and allows for additional prescriptions to be made in the regulations under section 69(2)(c).
The Official Opposition calls on Mr. Wakeham and Mr. Dinn to make the appropriate regulatory amendments to rectify this unique circumstance.
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