October 15, 2021

Treaty 5 and Dakota Territory, Homeland of the Métis Nation, Thompson MB— The Pallister PC’s Interim Premier is in northern Manitoban this week as his caucus votes for a budget that contains millions in cuts to health care, education and seniors care for northern families.

“With Pallister gone, northern Manitobans were hopeful this government would stop its attacks on our communities and instead fix the mistakes of the past. The Interim Premier should be spending his time in the north apologizing for his government’s record,” said NDP MLA for Thompson Danielle Adams. “But instead, the PC party doubled down and made it clear that Pallister’s agenda isn’t going away. Only an NDP government will bring real change for northern families.” Yesterday, as the Interim Premier visited Thompson, his caucus voted for a provincial budget that was originally put forward by Brian Pallister and slashed healthcare for northern families and seniors with cuts to healthcare operating funding, long term care funding, and a $13 million dollar cut to acute care.

The PC budget will make life harder for northern families, students and teachers by making it harder for kids with additional needs to get support in the classroom and forcing teachers to pay out of pocket for school supplies. NDP MLA for Flin Flon Tom Lindsey noted the Interim Premier only went to Churchill and Thompson, but ignored many other communities like The Pas and Flin Flon—places that have felt the pain of PC cuts.

“The Interim Premier can tour our communities and call it progress, but it means nothing when his government continues to implement Brian Pallister’s plan to cut health care, attack workers and hurt students,” said Lindsey. “PCs continue to repeat the mistakes of the past, but the NDP is listening to families, healthcare workers and communities to build a better vision for our future.”