Health care - politics takes unusual twists

This last week politics took an unusual twist. The federal Conservative Party adopted a Manitoba provincial Liberal platform from the 2003 provincial election. During the election, one of our major platforms was a health care guarantee which was very similar to the policy announcement by the federal Conservatives for a health care guarantee.

In the two years since then, the provincial Liberal Party has moved beyond the simple guarantee. In an article which appeared in the Winnipeg Free Press on July 11 of this year, I laid this out in more detail.

We see that Manitobans should have the legal right to quick access to health care when it is needed. We also see that it is critical to provide a means to ensure this right is delivered. We would achieve this through the activities of a Quality Council which would provide provincial standards for timeliness and for quality of care. We would also provide for an Implementation Committee to ensure Manitobans get the care when they need it.

Those who would like more details can look up the July 11 edition of the Winnipeg Free Press or send me an email, and I will send you an electronic copy of the article. My email address is jgerrard@leg.gov.mb.ca.

One thing is very clear to me. Since so many of the critical decisions in health care are now made at the political level, it is important to elect more politicians with a background in and understanding of health care. Jean Paterson, our Liberal candidate in the Fort Whyte constituency by-election, is one such person. She has spent more than twenty years teaching in the health care field and has some good ideas on how we can do better.