A critical shortage of 14 emergency room physicians in Winnipeg's community hospitals

While emergency wards at Winnipeg’s five community hospitals continue to be plagued by a shortage of 14 emergency doctors, the Doer government has launched a propaganda campaign to paper over its inability to manage wait times in health care.

In question period on Thursday, I asked the Premier and Minister of Health about the shortage of 14 emergency room physicians at community hospitals in Winnipeg. The continuing shortage of emergency doctors at the Grace, Victoria, Seven Oaks, Misercordia and Concordia hospitals has meant emergency wards in the city are routinely staffed by a single doctor instead of the two or three ER doctors needed. The result has been patients left waiting for hours as emergency wards slow to a trickle.

Minister of Health Tim Sale replied "I am very proud of the record that we have achieved in emergency rooms."

I am sure that there are a lot of Winnipegers who have had lengthy waits in Winnipeg emergency rooms who would disagree.

ER doctors are the lynchpins of our health care system. The actions and decisions of emergency room physicians are critical because they make the initial decisions when a severly ill person arrives at a hospital. These actions and decisions have a very broad impact on subsequent care, both the cost and the quality. It is vital that we ensure that emergency room care is done very well - because failures or mistakes here are very costly in terms of quality of life and in terms of the cost to our health care system. In the last two years in particular, I have received a number of reports of actions or decisions taken (or not taken) in emergency rooms which have had a severe impact on the person arriving with a critical health problem. Instead of people going home soon and safely, people have had long hospitalizations and there have been deaths. Leslie Worthington, a crusader for better health care, has spoken publicly about her father's experience and her father's death. This is but one example.

Part of what is needed to improve health care is a recognition that there are parts of our health care system which have a very broad impact, and we need to make sure these parts (such as the emergecy rooms) are functioning very well.

Bob Marley

Thursday evening it was an occasion to celebrate the life and music of Bob Marley at the Empire Cabaret in Winnipeg. Congratulations to Don Woodstock, Ace Burpee and all the others who put in such an effort to make this a success.

The Helen Betty Osborne Memorial Foundation

Thursday evening this week was the Helen Betty Osborne Memorial Foundation dinner. More than 400 people gathered at the Fairmont to remember Helen Betty Osborne and to raise funds for scholarships to be given to aboriginal students through the Foundation.

The tragic death of Helen Betty Osborne and the Aboriginal Justice Inquiry and its report which eventually resulted have laid the foundation for improved justice for aboriginal people in Manitoba. Sadly many of the recommendations are not yet implemented and there is still a need to act to improve Manitoba's justice system for aboriginal people. But Thursday night was less about this and more a celebration of the aboriginal students who are receiving scholarships and are doing well in college or university.

It was also a time to enjoy the Asham Stompers and to look and buy aboriginal art and blankets. up for action. I would like to pay tribute to the artists who donated works to raise money for the Helen Betty Osborne Memorial Foundation. There were quite a number including well known artists like Gayle Sinclair. But one person stands out for me. Wendy Neault donated a number of attractive artistic ceramic pieces. She enjoys her art, but rather than try for personal gain, she has chosen to donate her art for charitable causes like the Helen Betty Osborne Memorial Foundation. Thank you to Wendy and the other artists.

Visions 2006 - in support of CNIB

Yesterday, at lunch, a full room of people came out to support the efforts of the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB).

CNIB has done an incredible job for so many Canadians. It was good to see the support. It was also fun to listen to comedian Derek Edwards.

Bill 206 - requiring fetal alcohol warning labels on alcoholic beverages - is opposed by the NDP

Yesterday in the legislature, Bill 206 - an act introduced by Kevin Lamoureux and myself reached second reading. At this stage there is debate on the bill.

Bill 206 provides for warning labels on alcoholic beverages with respect to the risk of fetal alcohol syndrome. It also requires signs to be placed where alcoholic beverages are sold to provide warning of the effects of fetal alcohol syndrome. These two measures are already in place in other jurisdictions and have been shown to be effective.

Fetal alcohol syndrome and the broader category of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are the leading cause of developmental disability among Canadian children. FASD includes a variety of physical and mental changes including growth deficiency before and after birth, brain dysfunction causing learning disabilities and changes in facial features.

Last year, approximately 14,000 children were born in Manitoba. It is estimated that there were 140 children born with FASD. This compares with about 14 children born with Down's syndrome. It is time to pass this bill and help prevent FASD. Please lend your support to this effort by emailing your MLA.

Sadly, Kerri Irvin-Ross, speaking for the NDP, spoke in opposition to this bill. Her view is misguided, and will only lead to more children being born with FASD, when it could have been prevented. We need your help now to help change her mind now, or to defeat Ms. Irvin-Ross in the next provincial election.

You can see the full text of this bill at http://web2.gov.mb.ca/bills/sess/b206e.php

Debate on bills in the Legislature

With the budget debate completed, we are now in the middle of debate and discussion on a variety of other bills in the Legislature.

Today Kevin Lamoureux and I provided our comments on Bill 22, the Elections Reform Act.
I also spoke to provide our view on Bill 36 The Youth Drug Stabilization Act (Support for Parents) Act.

If you want to see our comments, today's Hansard will be available tomorrow by visiting
http://www.gov.mb.ca/legislature/hansard/4th-38th/index.html When you go to this site, click on May 10, 2006 to get to the Hansard transcript from today.

Battling for a Better Manitoba is in Coles at City Place

I was at Coles at City Place over the noon time today to sign books. Matthew Martinuk (bottom photo) and Treena Cunningham (top photo) were very helpful. Thank you Matthew and Treena.

The Manitoba Food Charter moves forward

The Manitoba Food Charter was released recently at the rural forum in Brandon. Today, it was the subject of a day long workshop in Winnipeg. It is gaining support and the momentum for its adoption is increasing. For more information go to http://food.cimnet.ca/cim/43C1_4T97T3T7.dhtm or email to mbfoodcharter@yahoo.ca

Among those present were activist Gerri Thorsteinson and Raven Thundersky (top photo). Raven Thundersky has been outspoken in her efforts to get more equitable milk prices in northern Manitoba and in her efforts to get asbestos contamination cleaned up.

Manitoba Day - and St. Ignatius School

Manitoba Day is May 12. It was on May 12, 1870 that the Manitoba Act was passed to make Manitoba a province. Happy Birthday Manitoba!

I was at St. Ignatius School this morning, listening to the students sing and talk about our wonderful province. I also had a chance to read to them (top photo) - and to talk a bit about the different levels of government - provincial, federal and municipal.

Hello to everyone at St. Ignatius School.

In the bottom photo, I am presenting a book to Carol Noonan for the school library.

Flava 107.9

This morning I was in to visit with the good folks at Flava 107.9. We had a good time talking politics - of all things! Hi to all the folks at Flava 107.9.

Nursing Week

This week is nursing week. It is a time to recognize the important accomlishments of nurses in Manitoba. We had a ceremony to recognize nursing week at the legislature. Thank you to all the nurses in Manitoba for the wonderful work that you do.

Above, I am with Dr. Dean Care, Dean of Nursing at the University of Manitoba (top), with Karen Dunlop, President of the College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba (middle) and with Lynn Marks (President of the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Manitoba (bottom).

Senator Sharon Carstairs - thank you

Senator Sharon Carstairs is not slowing down. She has made many, many contributions, but she continues to provide much support to Manitobans, and she continues to work hard on behalf of Manitobans.

Her message is clear. Education and health care must be priorities in Manitoba. In education, we need testing. We need it to know where we must put more resources to help children. In health care, it is less about who provides it, and much more about the need to ensure every person in Manitoba has quick access to quality care when it is needed. The record of the Tories and of the NDP in Manitoba is not good enough. We need a Liberal approach. It is time for a Liberal government in Manitoba.

The photos above show Sharon at various events. The bottom photo shows Sharon with Tim Higgins signing copies of their book Dancing Backward: A Social History of Canadian Women in Politics.

For more on Sharon Carstairs outstanding achievements see Battling for a Better Manitoba at http://www.manitobaliberals.ca/2006/04/battling-for-better-manitoba.html

Kern Park, Transcona and Park Pontiac's Walk with L'Arche

There were many people out this afternoon at Kern Park to support L'Arche, a community of people with an intellectual disability and their live-in assistants who share life together.

In the top photo I am shown with a team of walkers getting ready for the 5 km walk. In the bottom photo Harry and Val Wolbert (one of the organizers) wait with other walkers for some heavy rain to pass.

The History of the Manitoba Liberal Party - Stuart Garson - Father of Equalization

As provincial Liberals we have a proud history. One of the Liberal premiers of Manitoba was Stuart Garson who served from 1943-1948.

Garson was first elected in 1928 to represent the constituency of Fairford in Manitoba's Interlake region. He served as Finance Minister of Manitoba from 1936-1943.

As historian J.W. Pickersgill was to say "More than any other man Stuart Garson deserves the title of 'father of equalization' and the new dynamic federalism which has thus far spared Canada any return to 'the winter years'"

Read more about Stuart Garson and other Liberals who made major contributions to Manitoba in the book Battling for a Better Manitoba. For more information on the book go to
http://www.manitobaliberals.ca/2006/04/battling-for-better-manitoba.html

For those who would like to order a copy of the book you can do so through McNally Robinson's at the following web site.http://www.mcnallyrobinson.com/product.php?txtProdID=349691

Exercise, fitness and joint replacement

Each week I receive hundreds of emails. I can't possible mention all, or even many, on my blog, but from time to time I will put notes from the emails I receive. This email came from Daivd Lumgair of Thornhill, Manitoba. His story illustrates the importance of being fit and doing exercises before knee surgery in order to have a faster recovery after surgery. As David points out physical exercise can be "anti-incapacitating".

David Lumgair writes:

"I have had full left knee joint replacement, at Seven Oaks in Winnipeg, April 13 05.
Prior to surgery, I had a mind set, an attitude, that I would be very positive about recovery. I expected to recover as quickly as possibly. I wanted an atmosphere of strengthening and growth at the surgery site prior to surgery. The condition of bone, muscles, tissue and circulatory system would affect how quick and effective healing would happen. So, at my own expense, I visited a fitness centre, to receive and be coached with exercises, that would accomplish said goal. I was amazed at the gains in strength and in flexibility. My knee replacement was needed because of work and wear on bowlegs. Osteoarthritis?

I did lots of cross-country skiing prior surgery too, and I continue to ski. When I had my staples out, at 2 weeks and 2 days after surgery, I was showing Dr. David Foerster, my surgeon, my strength and flexibility. His response was to say that there are people who, at two month after surgery, would wish to be doing as well as I was doing at 2 weeks!"

David's story illustrates the importance of exercise in helping recovery from surgery - in the case of David - the exercise was done before the surgery to get his muscles in shape to help with the post-surgery recovery.

David's note to me continues:

"From my experience, I am sure that conditioning prior to surgery is essential!!!!
I have heard that Alberta has a pre-surgery assessment and conditioning program.
Can we pick some good ideas from their program? Seems to me that clients, and all caregivers, would find satisfaction with quick and strong recovery."

Thank you for your correspondence David. The future of our province depends on the health of our people!

If you have comments to add, please send me an email at jgerrard@leg.gov.mb.ca

Today'sNew word: anti-incapacitating,
Physical exercising to maintain physical fitness, is anti-incapacitating.

Beer and skits - and the Winnipeg Press Club

Friday night was the 73rd annual Beer and Skits - a production of the Winnipeg Press Club. At 119 years of age, the Winnipeg Press Club is the oldest press club in Canada.

As usual, it was a very funny evening with Jon Ljungberg doing a remarkable jb as emcee, and the actors taking their shots at us politicians - which we have to sit back and take in good humour.

After the show, I met Rob Truthwaite (photo above) who played the role of Jon Gerrard in the show. Well done Rob - and my compliments to all the actors and the volunteers who made the evening such a success.