Pallister defends health overhaul, claims NDP scared of change

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This article was published 06/11/2017 (2911 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

THE health-care debate reached a new level Monday, when Premier Brian Pallister accused NDP Leader Wab Kinew of being a “scaredy-cat” over the Manitoba government’s recent overhaul of the system.

Unlike the former NDP government, Pallister said, repeating a frequent refrain, the Tories have the courage to make the changes necessary.

“He’s a scaredy-cat, and he wants to see no changes occur,” Pallister said.

And of the NDP in general, the premier said: “They’re scared, and they say it’s too scary.”

Kinew said later while the term may not have been unparliamentary, it was unbecoming a premier.

The NDP continued hammering away at changes to the health-care system Monday at the legislature.

Despite Pallister’s promises no front-line worker would lose a job, Kinew said, the NDP is talking to a nurse who has been laid off and can’t find another job. The NDP would not identify the nurse or where she worked, though Kinew asked Pallister whether employees can speak out about changes without fear of retaliation.

He didn’t get an answer; Pallister responded by continuing to scoff at the previous NDP government having broken a health-care system the Tories are now fixing.

Kinew and NDP health critic Andrew Swan pointed to what they said are nursing cuts at the Riverview Health Centre in Winnipeg, and the closing of the EMS station in the community of Boissevain.

“This is a real issue, affecting real people,” Swan said.

Kinew told reporters Riverview’s chronic-care ward is going from four nurses to one nurse, two licensed practical nurses, and one health-care aide.

Pallister told the legislature Kinew is posing “bizarre” questions intended to frighten front-line workers and patients.

The premier said he will do everything he can to help health-care workers displaced by changes to the system.

Health Minister Kelvin Goertzen said closing the EMS station in Boissevain isn’t the whole story — the province is adding 20 paramedics in western Manitoba.

“The concerns and challenges that I’m hearing now that are happening in Westman are happening under the current system, nothing has changed, and the current system hasn’t worked for quite a long time in Westman.

“When it comes to EMS, there have been significant gaps and people have been waiting a long time,” Goertzen said in an interview.

He said he expects to announce the hiring of additional paramedics in the near future.

“I’m less concerned about stations because stations don’t respond to people, paramedics respond to people,” the health minister said.

Goertzen said the province is geo-posting in Westman — ambulances are parked where they are most likely to get a call, and when they get called out, another ambulance moves in to take their spot.

nick.martin@freepress.mb.cajane.gerster@freepress.mb.ca