The Progressive Conservatives have committed to introducing a fixed medical air transportation program that will be based out of Gander.

PC Leader Tony Wakeham made the commitment at Gander International Airport this morning.

Wakeham says if his party forms government, that system would be for patients from all over the province who need to travel to St. John’s for things like surgeries and cancer treatments.

He says that would allow people to access more timely care without having to travel long distances by road.

And says Wakeham, in addition to be flown in, they’ll also fly patients back out.

Wakeham uses an incident in his own district to illustrate why that’s important.

He says a man was flown into St. John’s for emergency surgery, but after he was discharged, his family had to figure out how to get him home.

They decided to drive in to St. John’s to get him, but on the way home they hit a patch of black ice and flipped their vehicle, killing the man.

“Perhaps if we had to have a way for him to go back home there wouldn’t have been a need for them to be on the road that day,” says Wakeham.