By Mark Squibb | Jan. 14, 2021
Kevin McEvoy says that while he’s volunteered ‘on the fringes’ of other political parties over the years, his bid for the PC nomination in Placentia— St. Mary’s, which will be decided Friday, is his first full-blown foray into politics.
“I’m concerned. I’m concerned about Newfoundland as a whole, I’m concerned about the district of Placentia St. Mary’s,” said McEvoy, who is a senior manager with Guilford’s Inc. and has 28 years of management experience in the construction industry. “I want to finally step up and say, ‘Let me be a help to this province.’ I feel my skill set can be used, and I want to offer them up.”
McEvoy, who hails from Admirals Beach, said he’s not confident with the current administration’s ability to deal with the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Decisions and bureaucracy are holding this province back, and I believe I am a candidate for change,” said McEvoy. “We have a major task at hand to deal with what this province is going to need in terms of innovation, and thinking outside the box, and actually getting things done. And I am that kind of person. I believe we need to have a government that is nimble and able to adapt to the times.”
He says the district holds such much potential, but faces many challenges.
One of the biggest needs, said McEvoy, involves infrastructure. “And that varies from water systems to roads. IInfrastructure is an immediate need that everybody talks about,” he said.
McEvoy said seniors face particular challenges, from senior care to access to health care.
A senior ought to be able to get blood work results at a local clinic without having to drive all the way to St John’s, he argued.
“Technology needs to be used to aid seniors and people who are not able to travel the long distances,” said McEvoy.
He also highlighted the district’s potential to aid the province’s food security, what with access to large amounts of land and fishing grounds. “It seems like nobody wants to make our fishery a priority and it’s gone to the wayside, but it’s a renewable resource,” he said.
He is also supportive of the oil industry. “While we invest in green technology we should be promoting and investing in this our own industry for as long as the world still requires fossil fuels,” McEvoy said. “We do need to invest in greener friendly options but replacing fossil fuel is going to take some time. Our oil and gas ranks with the cleanest in the world.”
As to economic recovery, McEvoy said it’s going to require collaboration between government, private business, and unions. He added that due to an ageing demographic, immigration of skilled workers will be a necessity.
“We are going to have to attract people here. And that’s not a simple process. It’s a multi-pronged process,” said McEvoy. “We need skilled people coming into this province and we need people who are willing to invest in business themselves. The government needs to be able to provide an environment to screen immigration and set out on, much like the tourism industry did a couple years ago with our marketing campaign, we need to market for the type of people that we’re going to need, and that’s people who want to invest in an economy, and then we need to make rules that allow them to invest. Whether it be doctors, nurses, skilled labourers, whatever it is we’re looking for, we have to be able to quickly turn around those certifications so that they become certified in this province.”
McEvoy said that it’s crucial that government be ‘business-friendly.’
“We have to become a province that is more open to investment. We have to have a business environment that allows business to operate. And the government has to provide policies that allow this, and we have to cut out some of the red tape that’s there,” said McEvoy.
“I have learned to collaboratively be involved in an industry that’s had as many ups-and-downs as any. We’ve struggled, and I’ve managed to be successful and persevere through these times. And right now, I believe this province is on another huge lull. And I believe I can use my experience to help get us through this lull,” said McEvoy. “I chose to stay in this province. I’ve worked through some very tough times, and we’ve had some ‘booms’ that I’ve been privileged to work through. And now, we have another downturn. I’m choosing to jump into politics right now. I have a career. If I am successful, I will become a full time MHA. But, I am choosing this. It’s not something I have to do, but something I feel I should do, and that it’s the best thing to do.”
Voting in the nomination contest will begin on January 14 conclude at 5:00 p.m. on January 15, and is open to all members who live in the district. The deadline to sign up as a member was January 11.
McEvoy’s step daughter, Kristina Ennis, is the PC candidate in St. John’s West.
