The COVID-19 pandemic has had impacts that go beyond affecting the health and well-being of many individuals in our societies. Every sector of our society has been impacted by COVID-19. While the provincial government has introduced some supports to provide assistance to communities across Manitoba, they have continued to push through with cuts.
Over the last few weeks, while we have seen other provinces provide direct financial aid to their residents, we have seen the Pallister government force layoffs in the education, university and public sectors.
The provincial government made directives that have resulted in more than 6,500 job cuts in the public sector to date. And with his most recent announcement which will see $860 million cut from schools, universities, municipalities and every government department, more layoffs are to come.
The provincial government has disappointed Northern Manitobans through promoting cuts instead of providing more direct financial assistance. This isn’t how you support families and communities in a crisis – it’s how you flatten an economic recovery post-pandemic.
The Pallister government’s austerity measures have continued to impact Northern Manitoba before and during the pandemic. And it appears the Pallister government is using the pandemic to drive more austerity measure through. The recent suspension of operating room services at Flin Flon General Hospital has robbed Northerners of another essential health care service. At a time when there is more need for health care, the community is left with less.
Northern Manitobans need the province to step up and provide the supports they need to get through this pandemic. Our responsibility as elected officials should be to enable the communities we represent to have greater confidence in our advocacy for them.
Despite the ongoing cuts, I want to assure Northerners that the NDP team and I will work to fight against these cuts and promote the establishment of more financial supports for our communities.
For any questions or concerns please contact my office at 204-677-2744 or email me at [email protected]. For questions regarding COVID-19 call Health Links at 204-788-8667.
