Meeting in Grandview to protest against the Pallister government's plan to close their ambulance station

Tuesday evening, August 15, I was in Grandview where about 500 people packed the community hall to express concerns about the Pallister government's plans to close their ambulance station. The meeting was organized by Grandview's three physicians who see the ambulance station in Grandview as critical to the future health care for the region. We were told that the decision to close the Grandview ambulance station was based on a computer model from Nova Scotia which does not adequately consider the realities of the situation in Grandview. What concerned me most was that the Conservative's decision was made without any community input and community consultations. In my view community input is essential in order to have the best possible health care system. I listened to the case made by Grandview doctors Dr. Jacobi Elliot and Dr. Jim Rae, and by many community citizens. The question was asked "Why are we being moved from a good system to a substandard service?" but no adequate reply was provided. Individuals from nearby Gilbert Plains felt that a better result could have been achieved if the two communities worked together to arrive at a solution. In my view, the decision to close the ambulance service in Grandview should be reviewed and reversed. The people of Grandview should be listened to.

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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

Comparison between Manitoba and South Dakota shows dramatic impact of Physical Distancing

Manitoba implemented physical distancing measures in mid-March. South Dakota has still not made physical distancing mandatory. The result is a dramatic difference in the incidence of covid-19 viral infections between the two jurisdictions. This graph shows the number of people with Covid-19 infections from March 27 to April 14. Manitoba ( red line ) started leveling off about April 4 and has seen only a small increase in Covid-19 infections since then. South Dakota ( blue line ) has seen a dramatic increase in Covid-19 infections since April 4. Those who are skeptical of the impact of physical distancing in Manitoba should look at this graph! Data are from the Johns Hopkins daily tabulations

Pushing for safe consumption sites and safe supply to reduce overdose deaths

On Monday June 20th, Thomas Linner of the Manitoba Health Coalition, Arlene Last-Kolb Regional Director of Moms Stop the Harm and Winnipeg City Councillor Sherri Rollins were at the Manitoba Legislature to advocate for better measures to reduce deaths from drug overdoses, most particularly for safe consumption sites and for a safe supply, measures which can reduce overdose deaths.

The Gerrard Report

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