WINNIPEG — Brian Pallister has finally admitted that his front-line health care cuts have hurt people, as confidential documents show there are more health care cuts and job losses to come if Brian Pallister is elected.

Yesterday, when asked about health care Pallister told Richard Cloutier that: 

“I know that sometimes [...] I go faster than people would like. I do. And I know that that can hurt people.” (Global, Sept. 3/19) 

Pallister knows his changes have hurt people, and he’s continuing anyway. Confidential KMPG documents obtained by the Manitoba NDP revealed that Pallister is headed toward 160 more health care job losses in doctor and nurse recruitment and retention, and occupational health and safety. This is just a small part of the full clinical plan for more health care cuts that Pallister is hiding from Manitobans until after the election. 

These 160 job cuts alone will hurt more people, as nurses experience massive overtime – after Pallister already cut millions from doctor recruitment and underspent his nurse recruitment budget. Health care workers will also have access to less workplace safety supports as violence against nurses increases. 

According to the PCs, the hidden clinical plan will include more changes to emergency care, as well as other services like critical care, cancer care, surgery and obstetrics. The full plan for cuts was supposed to be released this summer but has now been buried until after the election. 

Pallister’s platform also confirmed his plans for cuts – $625 million in cuts to services like health care and education – along with a $200 million firesale of public assets, like the Cadham provincial laboratory. 

Questions for Pallister: 

• Who are the people that you say you have hurt with your health care cuts? Why have you not apologized for your cuts? 
• What health care cuts are you going to make next? 
• Who are the people that you are going to hurt with your next cuts?