In the province’s third quarter fiscal report the government promoted their transformation of the healthcare system.
Local MLA Brad Michaleski stresses that the even with a projected reduction in the deficit they are still working hard to reform the system. “The services aren’t being compromised by this fiscal discipline. When we talk about spending for families and healthcare, education, the spending has been increasing through time.”
Finance Minister Scott Fielding says per capita health spending continues to exceed the national average and the money invested in health continues to increase every year.
Michaleski says the province is currently undertaking the most substantial health-care transformation in a long time. “We’re looking at the health departments, how they operate, how they function, and that can be said across a number of departments. So it's about spending money wisely and making sure that our frontline services are maintained and if not enhanced.” He continues, “It’s not impossible to do. If you apply sound management principles to how departments operate, you can effectively reduce deficit spending.”
All provincial government departments, except for healthcare, are projecting to be within budget.
In the government’s report, they say the Department of Health, Seniors and Active Living is projecting to be 3.5 per cent below budget.
Manitoba Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont says for the past two years, the Federal government has increased health care transfers while the Pallister government has decreased its share of spending. He says federal health funds have increased by $56-million dollars, while the province’s health increase is at $50-million. That means six million dollars is being re-directed to general revenue.
In terms of myths that there are health care cuts, Michaleski says that is completely false.
