Will the Premier get prepared for the fall by improving ventilation in schools as Ontario is doing?

Good evidence now shows that improving ventilation in schools can dramatically reduce COVID-19 infections. See this scientific report at this link

Thursday May 27, I asked the Premier whether he would be preparing schools for the fall by taking measures to improve ventilation in schools in Manitoba. My question and his response (from Hansard) are below. Notwithstanding the Premier's statement that "some" money may be used for ventilation, there does not appear to be a real plan to increase school ventilation and humidity as a major effort.

COVID‑19 Spread Prevention
Ventilation Systems in Schools

Hon. Jon Gerrard (River Heights): Mr. Deputy Speaker, improving ventilation in schools decreases transmission of COVID‑19, as I table. We called on the Premier to act on this last fall, but nothing was done. Air dilution methods, opening doors, opening windows and using fans have an effect, but combined with the installation of HEPA filters can reduce COVID‑19 infections by almost half–48 per cent.

Will the Premier use the summer to make improvements in ventilation and air filtration in Manitoba schools before fall classes start, much like Ontario is already doing? And will he also ensure sufficient humidification to get schools to an optimum relative humidity of 40 to 60, which should also reduce transmission?

Hon. Brian Pallister (Premier): Well, we've–this year's capital allocation for Education is part of our $1.6‑billion commitment.

The largest in Manitoba history is a quarter of a billion dollars for capital investments in our schools, and I can assure the member that some of those projects will relate to exactly what he just raised.

So the commitment to educational funding and support has never been greater than under this government.

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Dougald Lamont speaks at Meth Forum last night to present positive ideas to address the epidemic, while exposing the lack of action by the Pallister Conservatives

Last night at the Notre Dame Recreation Centre in St. Boniface, at an Election Forum on the Meth Crisis in Manitoba, Dougald Lamont spoke eloquently about the severity of the meth epidemic and described the Liberal plan to address it. The Liberal Plan will make sure that there is a single province-wide phone number for people, or friends of people, who need help dealing with meth to call (as there is in Alberta) and that there will be rapid access to a seamless series of steps - stabilization, detoxification, treatment, extended supportive housing etc so that people with meth addiction can be helped well and effectively and so that they can rebuild their lives. The Liberal meth plan will be helped by our approach to mental health (putting psychological therapies under medicare), and to poverty (providing better support). It will also be helped by our vigorous efforts to help young people understand the problems with meth in our education system and to provide alternative positive

Manitoba Liberal accomplishments

Examples of Manitoba Liberal accomplishments in the last three years Ensured that 2,000 Manitoba fishers were able to earn a living in 2020 (To see the full story click on this link ). Introduced a bill that includes retired teachers on the Pension Investment Board which governs their pension investments. Introduced amendments to ensure school aged children are included in childcare and early childhood education plans moving forward. Called for improvements in the management of the COVID pandemic: · We called for attention to personal care homes even before there was a single case in a personal care home. · We called for a rapid response team to address outbreaks in personal care homes months before the PCs acted. · We called for a science-based approach to preparing schools to improve ventilation and humidity long before the PCs acted. Helped hundreds of individuals with issues during the pandemic including those on social assistance

The Indigenous Science Conference in Winnipeg June 14-16

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The Gerrard Report

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