Why is the Pallister government not helping learners who are struggling - and have not yet even committed to an Accessibility Standard?

Tuesday, May 29, I asked the Premier in Question Period why his government has not put forward a plan to help learners who are struggling, and has not even committed to an education standard for under the Accessability for Manitobans Act. My question and the Premier's response is below.

Request for Education Accessibility Plan

Mr. Gerrard: Madam Speaker, a good way to improve overall student learning, if the Premier wants, is helping those who are struggling, including indigenous learners and including students with learning disabilities: speech, hearing and vision issues in children. Yet the government has not presented a credible plan to help those who are struggling and having difficulty and has not even committed to develop an accessible education standard under The Accessibility for Manitobans Act.

Why has the government not presented a plan to address and help learners who are struggling?

Mr. Pallister: I can share with the member that in my few years of teaching, that some of the most rewarding experiences I had personally were working with the children he describes in his preamble, and assisting them in upgrading their reading skills and learning skills. And I know that teachers across the province who have so engaged would share that same view with him.

It is a view that I think all members of this House share, that we want to upgrade the skills of young people, in particular those who are challenged in their ability to read, and their cognitive skill development is very, very critical. So we continue to advance the cause of sustainable education system in our province with a focus on making sure that we can help every child find the real potential that exists with inside them.

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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

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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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