The Pas clinic to be named after late MLA

A new primary health clinic in Manitoba’s North will be named in honour of former the NDP MLA for The Pas-Kameesak.

Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara said Monday the clinic will address health needs in the North while honouring Amanda Lathlin’s legacy as the first Indigenous woman elected to the Manitoba Legislature.

“As you all know, Amanda was a trailblazer,” said Asagwara. “She was a tireless and pretty fearless advocate for health care in the North and for her community specifically.”

Lathlin, who was first elected in 2015, died on March 21 at the age of 49.

The clinic, set to open in 2030, will cost between $50 and $60 million. The health minister said the government is committed to working with community leaders to open the facility sooner.

Elyse Lathlin, who is seeking the NDP nomination for the same constituency her mother represented, said she was honoured when she learned the facility would be called the Amanda Lathlin Memorial Clinic.

Lathlin told a story about driving past a school in Opaskwayak First Nation named for her late grandfather. She asked her mother if she thought anything would ever be named after her.

Her mom responded: “probably not,” saying she wasn’t important. Lathlin said Monday she wished she could tell her mother she was wrong.

“My mom just recently passed in March of this year, so to have an announcement this soon to honour her legacy is remarkable,” Lathlin said. “I can tell my little sisters, even while she’s gone, stuff in her name is still happening.”

The Town of The Pas passed a motion earlier this year to name the clinic after Lathlin and it was an easy move to endorse, Premier Wab Kinew said.

“When we received that letter, I can tell you that our whole team was very, very honoured, very, very happy and of course, was very moved by the gesture,” said Kinew. “Amanda put in the work. Her family put in the support and it was the community leadership here in The Pas who asked for this honour to be bestowed upon Amanda.”

morgan.modjeski@freepress.mb.ca