Manitoba Minute: Pharmacare Agreement, Travel Expenses, and Machete Sales Regulations

Manitoba Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Manitoba politics.

This Week In Manitoba:

• New federal legislation now covering birth control costs across Canada could allow Manitoba to reallocate funds to make other medications free, according to Premier Wab Kinew. The national pharmacare bill paves the way for universal coverage of birth control and diabetes medication under public health systems. While British Columbia has already implemented a similar plan, Kinew noted it’s too early to confirm Manitoba's next steps, as the Province is currently negotiating its own pharmacare agreement.
  
  
• Manitoba is making progress in addressing its doctor shortage, with a net gain of 133 physicians over the past year, the largest increase on record. Despite this improvement, the province remains 346 doctors short of the national average, with only 219 doctors per 100,000 people compared to the national average of 243. Manitoba ranks second last in doctors per capita and has the lowest number of family physicians in the country. There are concerns about retaining doctors, as 688 physicians could leave the province or retire in the next three years.
  
  
• The Province is considering stricter regulations on the sale of machetes, swords, and other long-bladed weapons. A new bill would limit sales to individuals over 18 with photo ID, require retailers to secure the weapons from public access, and keep sales records for at least two years. The move follows several violent incidents involving machetes, including an attack on an elderly man in August. Fines for violating the rules could reach up to $5,000 for individuals and $25,000 for corporations.

Last Week In Manitoba:

• The Manitoba government has issued an apology for withholding federal benefit payments from children in the child welfare system between 2005 and 2019. This apology is part of a $530 million settlement from a class-action lawsuit, which will compensate around 30,000 affected children, many of whom are now adults. The Province had clawed back the Children's Special Allowance, a federal benefit meant to support vulnerable kids, but halted the practice in 2019. Indigenous leaders have welcomed the apology but stress that systemic reforms are needed to prevent further injustices.
  
  
• Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew's out-of-province travel expenses for his first six months in office totaled $8,917.65, similar to the $8,970.34 spent by former premier Brian Pallister during his initial six months. Kinew's trips included attending meetings with other premiers, the 2023 Grey Cup, and funerals for Brian Mulroney and Ed Broadbent. Former Premier Heather Stefanson's travel expenses were lower, at $2,053, for one out-of-province trip during her first six months.
  
  
• The Official Opposition criticized the government for lowering educational standards to meet its paramedic hiring promises. The College of Paramedics paused a new prerequisite requiring anatomy and physiology credits for primary-care paramedicine programs, citing accessibility issues for applicants. One training school noted that the prerequisite had significantly reduced applications, but applications surged after its removal. While some schools still require the credits, concerns were raised that dropping the requirement might lead to substandard care.