Many Manitobans think provinces are intentionally ruining public health-care: poll

Nearly half of Manitobans think that provinces are intentionally ruining public health-care with the goal of making privatization look better, according to a new poll.

The online survey was conducted by the Angus Reid Institute from Feb. 1 to 4, asking more than 2,000 Canadian adults their thoughts about the privatization of the health-care system.

It found that 49 per cent of Manitobans agree that the provinces are dragging their feet on public health-care to make privatization look like a better option, while 34 per cent disagree with this sentiment, and 17 per cent couldn’t say one way or the other.

These survey results were released on Monday, just days after Manitoba and the federal government reached a $6.7 billion health-care deal. The deal includes $1.2 billion for a bilateral agreement focusing on shared health-care priorities and a $72 million one-time top-up to the Canada Health Transfer paid to Manitoba to address urgent needs.

Angus Reid asked Manitobans how they feel about health-care, and whether they are open to the private delivery of care – a topic that had Manitobans split. Thirty-nine per cent of residents said more private care would improve the health-care system, while the same amount said it would worsen the health-care system. Twenty-two per cent said they were unsure.

As for whether Manitobans would support the idea of the province allowing people to pay a private clinic out-of-pocket for faster access, many were on board. Forty-eight per cent of Manitoba respondents said they support this idea, while 42 per cent opposed it.

The survey also found that though some Manitoba support health-care privatization, many are concerned with how it would impact low-income Canadians and staff shortages. Nearly 70 per cent of Manitobans said lower-income Canadians would suffer with the increase of health-care privatization, while 66 per cent said expanding privatization would worsen staff shortages for public health-care.

Manitoba is one of several provinces that have signed onto a new health-care deal proposed by the federal government earlier in February. The agreements in principle are the first step in completing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s $196-billion, 10-year health-care funding proposal.

The results of this poll have a margin of error within plus-minus two percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

- With files from The Canadian Press.