Provincial government gets $86 million more from the federal government for health in 2018, but will not spend all of it.

On March 15, in Question Period, I called the provincial government to account for getting money for health care from the federal government, and then not spending the full increase. It is time we had a more accountable and more honest government. My question is below:

Mr. Gerrard: Madam Speaker, in this year's budget, the Minister of Health shows his budget increasing by $56 million from last year's budget. The budget also shows that the minister is receiving 86 million more dollars for Health from the federal government than last year. This means that the provincial contribution to health care is decreasing this year by $30 million.

Why is the provincial contribution to health care decreasing by $30 million? Is this because the minister is cutting back on funding for people with cystic fibrosis who need life-saving drugs?

The Minister of Health, in his reply, failed to acknowledge that the provincial contribution to health in Manitoba has decreased and that he has therefore not spent the full additional money for health received from the federal government.

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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.

There is an imperative to have a provincial plan to ensure every child learns to read

Too many Manitoba children with learning disabilities like dyslexia are not being identified and helped early on starting in Kindergarten and grades 1 and 2. The Supreme Court ruled in 2012 that it is the provinces responsibility to ensure that every child learns to read, and even when, in the case of a child with dyslexia intensive intervention is needed. In 12 years Manitoba has failed to produce a provincial plan to address this issue. We are holding a Forum (see below) on this subject. Please come out to the Forum. There is no cost. Everyone is welcome. To learn more about the need to do better helping children, youth and adults with a learning disability click on this link

The Gerrard Report

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