After a decade of debt, we are keeping our campaign promise to fix the province’s finances, including finding efficiencies within government, increasing revenues by removing red tape to make the province more attractive to business investment, and by listening to Manitobans. To promote investment and economic diversification in the North, our new PC government will be hosting Look North Summits in each of the following communities: The Pas on April 3-4, Thompson on April 4-5 and Churchill on April 5-6. These consultations with business, community and First Nation leaders, stakeholders, and individuals, hosted by co-chairs Chief Christian Sinclair from Opaskwayak Cree Nation, Chuck Davidson of the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce and Mayor Mike Spence from Churchill, are intended to provide government with experiences, ideas, and suggestions on how to best encourage investment, create employment opportunities and enhance sustainable economic development in our North.
After a decade of decaying services, our new PC government is keeping our campaign promise to provide timely access to emergency care, as well as surgical and diagnostic procedures, and has appointed a chairperson and members of the public to serve on a Manitoba Wait Time Reduction Task Force. Overseeing the task force, committee chair Wayne Elhard, a private sector consultant focusing on government relations, brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in health-policy matters related to the delivery of health services, primarily in rural communities. This task force is key to identifying the processes that are not working and which must be improved, if we are to ensure better patient care and long-term sustainability of our health-care system. Starting April 3, 2017, a public survey regarding healthcare will be available online at www.gov.mb.ca/health/wtrtf.html, and public consultations will be held in communities across the province, including Thompson at the Vale Regional Community Centre multi-purpose room Friday, April 7 from 2-4 p.m. Individuals with special accessibility requirements can call 1-855-259-9670 (toll-free) or email WTRTF@gov.mb.ca to share their needs with meeting organizers.
On the road to recovery, as our new PC government continues to restore the services Northerners depend on, fix the provinces finances, and rebuild our economy, we appreciate any input you may wish to share.
