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Task force pronouncements of little value to Manitobans waiting for health care
4 minute read Yesterday at 5:45 PM CDTThe Stefanson government’s wait time task force says it has significantly reduced or eliminated backlogs for medical procedures. However, the province still refuses to release supporting data to substantiate those claims.
Officials from the Diagnostic and Surgical Recovery Task Force provided one of its regular “updates” Wednesday at Victoria General Hospital. They claim hospitals have eliminated or significantly reduced backlogs for 36 procedures that were created during the COVID-19 pandemic.
What they haven’t done is provided the public with any details around most of those procedures, including wait times, the volume of patients on wait lists or the number of cases completed by month. Without that information, it’s impossible to estimate whether backlogs have been reduced or eliminated. If they have that information, they’re not making it public.
Task force officials say they have eliminated or reduced backlogs by 40 per cent or more for procedures such as pediatric surgery, oral surgery, neurosurgery and echocardiography. But without supporting data or more detail, those figures are essentially meaningless.
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Courageous little girl’s story enrages First Nations community but, somehow, hope remains
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4 minute read Preview 2:00 AM CDTDEAR MISS LONELYHEARTS: Our king-sized bed is a wasteland. I look across those expensive silk sheets and see my wife’s back and her beautiful long black hair. She sleeps naked — but no big deal, as she wants nothing to do with me anymore!
Why? Well apparently, I committed an unforgivable sin. I brought home another woman when my wife was out of town seeing her sick mother. When the old bat suddenly took a turn for the better, my wife unexpectedly flew home early to surprise me!
Unfortunately there was another woman in our big bed. Then, all hell broke out. My wife says she wants me out, and she’s going to take me for every cent I’ve got. And the other woman isn’t even taking my calls.
How can I get out of this problem? Deep down, I want my wife back. I love her, and she knows that! I just need a little harmless variety once in a while. Is there a way for me to get her back?
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From the outset she made me agree our relationship would be primarily sexual, and I stupidly agreed. I’m afraid to ask her what’s going on, because I fear the worst.
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Dear Problem: Your husband may be afraid of losing a brother forever, but is so sure of your love that he’s not afraid of losing you, even if he doesn’t act.
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He hasn’t said anything to anyone else as far as I know, but he brings it up to tease me, and I blush. What should I say to him? We’ve only been together four months. If I can’t reveal all of my sexuality, are we doomed in the end?
— Regret Trusting Him, St. James
Dear Regret: Four months is a bit too short a time to develop the kind of trust you need. Plus, you know this particular guy will tease you about any sexual fantasy that makes him feel nervous. He’s a bad bet for you. The good news is that summer is coming, which is the best season of the year for finding new romance, if not love. Don’t waste more of your warm-weather time on him.
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— Losing My Mojo, Winnipeg
Dear Losing: Unfortunately, it only takes one bad sexual hookup to mess up a person for a long time. It’s time to examine your approach and make some changes. You’ve been offering yourself for instant sex to guys you like the look of online, with no need for a relationship. This guy turned around and acted like you were a robot with no feelings — just a service offered to him, but not in the right size.
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— Modern Dating Sucks, Winnipeg
Dear Modern Dating: Part of the problem with dating in 2023 comes out of the recent years of full-on COVID when lonely people would grab a partner quickly and start living with them. Also, people like your girlfriend started living online and created fantasy lives to attract people into their locked-down worlds.
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I should also confess that when I dated my ex, he and I had a terrible relationship. We fought all the time because he was on the wrong side of the law, and it also seemed like he got off on ignoring me, by going downtown to see “the guys.” On top of that, he lost a lot of our money by gambling. My nerdy sister said it was “unhealthy” being with him, but it was also so exciting! Why is life like that?
— Obsessed, St. Vital
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