The first order of business for Seamus O’Regan is to deal with affordability and rate mitigation in the province.

O’Regan says he also heard loud and clear about seniors benefits and vows to fight for them in Ottawa.

When it comes to rate mitigation, O’Regan says there is still no timeline as to when it will get done. But, he says they didn’t want the election to delay anything. He, Finance Minister Bill Morneau and Premier Ball all agreed that officials would continue the “co-investigation” throughout the writ period.

O’Regan says rate mitigation is above partisan politics as it’s way too important to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.

They will continue to work at it, but as the Premier has said, they may not know until January or February and, as Bill Morneau says, “they need to get under the hood of it”. O’Regan describes rate mitigation as “complicated finances”.

The re-elected MP says it would be irresponsible for them to give a timeline during the election.

O’Regan says doing that is not fair, as the issue is way too big and way too complicated.

He believes the people of the province know, and understand that, and respect the fact government is being straight up.