Islanders going to the polls April 3

the most concerning issue for the largest number of Islanders.”

He said he believed King's leadership on health care has been “notoriously absent” during his term in government.

Bevan-Baker also said he believes, in the areas of housing, health care and the rising cost of living, conditions in P.E.I. have grown “considerably worse” under the King government.

Herb Dickieson, a retired doctor and NDP candidate in O'Leary-Inverness, said he found King's talk of healthcare reforms to be “rather fuzzy.”

He said he and his NDP colleagues are concerned King may introduce more private delivery into the province's health-care system.

He pointed to the example of the increased role of Island EMS, which operates the province ambulatory service, along with mobile mental health response units.

“Even though we have created respect and appreciate the wonderful paramedics we have on Prince Edward Island, the private delivery system hasn't served us well,” Dickieson said.

“People have had to wait for an hour and a half – up west in particular – for an ambulance.”

Dickieson said he was concerned further privatization in health care could happen if King was returned to power with a majority government.

He also said his party, the NDP, has been the “most fervent” in defending public delivery of health care.