Hiring nurses, repairing relationships, a new homelessness strategy: Throne speech outlines priorities for Manitoba

WINNIPEG -

With broad strokes scant on details, the province's throne speech laid out its priorities, focusing on repairing relationships, addressing nursing shortages and surgical backlogs, and introducing a homelessness strategy this winter.

The 11-page speech, which distances newly minted Premier Heather Stefanson's government from that of former Premier Brian Pallister, was delivered by Manitoba's Lieutenant-Governor Janice Filmon on Tuesday afternoon.

"What I'm hearing from Manitobans is they want a departure from maybe the style and the way things have been done in the past," Stefanson said Tuesday.

"We don't have to reinvent the wheel, so to speak, but I think there is a better way to do things and a more collaborative way with Manitobans.

SURGERY BACKLOGS

Among the priorities outlined in the speech, the government says it will 'take action in the coming weeks,' to remove barriers that are delaying Manitobans from getting the care they need.

The province is promising a task force with doctors, nurses and other professionals focused on finding ways to clear the backlog of surgeries and diagnostic tests delayed due to the pandemic.

"This will be a priority for our government, to ensure that Manitobans get the health care that they need when they need it," Stefanson said, adding this task force will be set up "very, very shortly."

According to Doctors Manitoba, the estimated backlog has grown to more than 136,000 procedures.

Stefanson said she will be sharing more details about this in the coming days.

NURSING SHORTAGES AND RURAL HEALTH CARE CHANGES

The province is also taking aim at Manitoba's nursing shortage, with a target of training 400 more nurses, and a commitment to ensure each graduate gets a job offer here in Manitoba.

It goes on to say the province will be working with the University College of the North to deliver a one-time, two-year Diploma Practical Nursing training program for up to 20 students in Thompson. The Northern Health Region has committed to hiring every graduate of the program in 2022-23.

"Obviously, we want to ensure if we are graduating those nurses here that we are incentivizing them to stay in Manitoba," Stefanson said. "With the shortage across the country, it is critical that those that we are educating here have the opportunity to stay right here in Manitoba, and we will make sure we look at ways to do that."

The province also promises to "re-examine" the reforms and changes proposed for health care facilities in rural Manitoba. Stefanson hinted the province will have many more announcements to make in the months ahead, but would not say if the government plans to move forward with closures of facilities in some rural areas.

"There is some angst out there among municipalities," Stefanson said. "I think there is going to be more interaction between those in our rural municipalities to make sure we are on board."

In the coming months, the province also said plans to consult with Manitobans to modify and implement a renewed strategy for aging Manitobans.

RECONCILIATION AND REPAIRING RELATIONSHIPS

After the Pallister government's rocky relationship with Indigenous leaders in Manitoba, Stefanson's government is promising to focus on, "respect, reconciliation and repairing broken relationships."

Though vague in how the province will go about this, the speech commits to working with and listening to Indigenous leaders, elders, and families.

Stefanson said she has already met with the Grand Chiefs in Manitoba and other Indigenous leaders.

Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Grand Chief Garrison Settee said it was encouraging to hear the speech.

"There is opportunities for reconciliation and collaboration with Indigenous leadership," Settee said, adding the province will need to rely on the input of Indigenous people.

"I think they are open to that, so I am optimistic. There is hope on the horizon for a new journey with the provincial government."

Settee pointed to the traditional drumming that was included in the Manitoba Legislature before the reading of the speech. He said it was a historic moment.

JOBS AND POST-PANDEMIC RECOVERY

The province says it will continue to support businesses amid the pandemic and beyond.

"I have said I will do everything that I can to ensure that those businesses will be able to remain open," Stefanson said. "After this, I think we are going to be listening to the businesses community to see – especially those with small businesses – what is it you need as a hand up to make sure that you can remain open."

She said the province is also looking to attract and retain workers in Manitoba, as some businesses are looking to expand outside of Manitoba and Canada.

"We need to have a look at what are the reasons for that, and how do we address those barriers to expansion here in Manitoba," Stefanson said.

"We will continue to work with our business community to ensure that we break down those barriers so that they look to expand here in Manitoba so that will obviously help us grow our economy here."

The speech said the province plans to increase investment in education and training, and work with businesses to bring in workers from around the world to fill labour gaps.

It also said Manitoba will work to keep Manitobans working here in the province by investing in communities.

Manitoba Federation of Labour (MFL) President Kevin Rebeck said the province needs a real economic recovery plan.

"COVID-19 continues to impact our communities and our economy, including low-income workers," Rebeck said in a statement.

"These workers are falling behind as our minimum wage continues to sit near the bottom of the country, but this government has no plan to lift minimum wage workers out of poverty by making the minimum wage a living wage."

He said the MFL is also calling on the province to ensure all workers have access to paid sick days on the job.

EDUCATION

While the province stops short of promising anything to do with a K-12 education strategy, it does say it will be re-engaging with stakeholders.

"We are going to go back to the K to 12 review and see what is actually in the K to 12 review, and we are going to build upon that," Stefanson said.

The controversial education reform Bill 64 was scrapped after Pallister stepped down as premier.

The province does say it will fast-track the implantation of the federal-provincial agreement on Early Learning and Child Care, and plans to re-engage with post-secondary institutions on a proposed funding formula.

WINNIPEG MAYOR SAYS SPEECH WAS 'SHIFT IN TONE'

The speech gives a nod to the City of Winnipeg, saying the government is seeking an early agreement on the investments to modernize and expand the city's wastewater treatment system.

When asked for more details, Stefanson only said, "stay tuned."

Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman said he was pleased to hear the province mention the city's wastewater treatment system project in the throne speech.

"For a number of years, we've been leading and advocating to the provincial government. We now appear to have a premier who is listening and is open to that dialogue," Bowman said.

He acknowledged the speech has a "shift in tone," and appears to take on a more collaborative approach.

"It is definitely a welcome shift," Bowman said.

The mayor said he met with Premier Stefanson on Monday, and had a collaborative and productive discussion.

A HOMELESSNESS STRATEGY AND OTHER ITEMS IN THE THRONE SPEECH

The province also commits to introducing a homelessness strategy this winter, but does not provide any details other than saying it will "emphasize a whole-of-government approach for consultations with Manitobans."

"(Homelessness) has been exacerbated as a result of COVID, and we recognize the importance of that, and that is why we are making it a priority," Stefanson said.

The speech says it will be expanding the list of presumptive work-related cancers for firefighters, who are exposed to toxic chemicals while on the job.

The province also promises to expand the funding for Family Violence Shelters.

THRONE SPEECH FALLS SHORT, OPPOSITION PARTIES SAY

Manitoba NDP House Leader Nahanni Fontaine said Stefanson's speech does not present real actions – particularly around the surgical backlog.

"We did not see from this premier, a plan to deal with the backlog of surgeries which is going to take us years to get out of and which is going to make Manitobans sicker and sicker, and dare I say, Manitobans lives are at risk – their literal lives are at risk because of the surgery backlog," Fontaine said.

She said the provincial government needs to listen to health care professionals to deal with the backlog.

"This government has heard from Manitobans for the last 22 months what they need – we need action today."

The Manitoba Liberals said the speech fell short of their expectations.

"I think that is the first-ever throne speech that could have been an email – it is pretty disappointing," said Manitoba Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont.

"A lot of it is a plan to plan when we need immediate action."