WINNIPEG, MB - In July of this year Brian Pallister quietly hiked PCH rates making life harder for Manitoba seniors.

In just three years, Pallister has raised the minimum daily PCH rates by more than 11%, costing seniors between $1,400 to $3,300 more per year - that’s a massive increase that hurts our most vulnerable seniors. All while Pallister cut millions from PCH budgets in Winnipeg, including ActionMarguerite, canceled new projects, and failed to build a single PCH bed in three years.

In early July, Brian Pallister hiked the minimum PCH rate to $38.75/day, from $34.90 in 2016. The maximum rate has jumped from $81.60 in 2016 to $90.65/day.

In 2017, Manitoba was the only province in Canada to see an increase in the number of low-income seniors. The number of seniors who are low-income jumped 52%, from 2.5% to 3.8%. Pallister has also hurt seniors by cancelling post-operative physiotherapy for seniors after hip and knee surgeries, and failing to address rising drug prices.

Pallister has made life harder for seniors. Why should seniors and their families believe Brian Pallister now?

Questions for Pallister:

• What do you have to say to seniors on a fixed income who can’t afford an extra $1,400 a year for a PCH bed?
• Why should seniors and their families believe you after you broke your promise to build new PCH beds?