Manitoba NDP accuse PCs of health-care underspending, Liberals present new women candidates

The Progressive Conservative government failed to spend nearly $700 million of the money it committed to capital improvements in health care since the party was ushered into power in 2016, the Manitoba NDP says.

NDP health critic Uzoma Asagwara was joined by several party candidates in Winnipeg's Windsor Park neighbourhood on Monday to argue the Tories cannot be trusted on health care in advance of the Oct. 3 election. 

"We all know that [Premier] Heather Stefanson likes to make big promises because it's an election year, but we also all know the truth.

"She does not follow through and she cannot get things done for health care in Manitoba and for those families who depend on it."

In the six fiscal years since 2016, the government budgeted $1.99 billion for health-care capital, but only $1.29 billion of it was spent, according to a variety of government financial documents. The province underspent its capital budget by an average of 36 per cent during that time span.

Complete financial data is not yet available for 2022-23. 

Asagwara argued the Tories could have spent the $698 million left over on capital projects to keep emergency rooms open or to build more personal care home beds. 

Asagwara wouldn't reveal any specifics about the NDP's plan, nor whether there's an acceptable percentage of a budget that could be under-spent. 

"I understand the desire to have a specific number, but the reality is it's about outcomes," Asagwara said, referencing wait times, close-to-home surgeries and ensuring people don't leave emergency departments without being seen, as a few measurable categories that the NDP would focus on.

"Taking a different approach is going to mean better health-care outcomes under an NDP government."

NDP lacks budget understanding: Cullen

Deputy premier Cliff Cullen said construction projects can be delayed for a variety of reasons, which impacts the government's spending.

"It's no surprise that the NDP lacks a basic understanding of the budgeting process — the [former premier Greg] Selinger government put Manitoba billions in debt."

Cullen called it "astounding" the NDP would attack its health-care spending record when the party voted against the PC's 2023 budget, which included the largest increase in health-care spending in Manitoba's history.

Asagwara said the party would announce more health-care capital projects closer to the election.

The party's health critic didn't answer whether the NDP would commit to the $1.5-billion rebuild of the Health Sciences Centre — announced by the Progressive Conservatives just before the pre-election blackout on government announcements — though the Wab Kinew-led party said last week it would work within the "fiscal framework" of the province's 2023 budget. 

Asagwara, though, maintained Tory spending commitments aren't to be trusted anyway, as its record on underspending for health-care capital projects can attest. 

"They have a pattern of making announcements and not following through on their own commitments to health care and Manitoba."

Liberals show off new candidates

Meanwhile, the Manitoba Liberal Party held a news conference to boast about the five women the party is about to nominate as candidates.

The hopefuls include Maples candidate Eddie Calisto-Tavares, who made headlines begging for help during a COVID-19 outbreak at Maples Personal Care Home that resulted in her father's death, and Order of Manitoba inductee Alvina Rundle, who was instrumental in establishing courts in remote Indigenous communities, running in The Pas-Kameesak.

"They've already made extraordinary contributions before even getting elected, because they already know how the systems work and what needs to change," Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont said.

As an example, he cited Calisto-Tavares, who learned about her father's COVID-19 diagnosis a half-hour after she stood with the Liberals at a media briefing and called for military help at the Maples care home during the late 2020 outbreak.

"We didn't get the army, but we got Eddie," Lamont said.

Calisto-Tavares donned personal protective equipment day after day and entered the home to care for her dad. Fifty-six people died in connection with the months-long outbreak, including her father.

She said she cannot sit on the sidelines when she has the opportunity to make change.

"Nobody could say no to my plan because I was a daughter who needed to go and look after her dad," she said.

"And I reached out to the politicians in my life, I reached out to the media, who have been so critical in the changes that I've made, and that's why I'm here today."

The Liberals still need to nominate more than half of the 57 candidates the party requires for a full slate in the upcoming election.

Once nominated, the five new candidates will bring the Liberal count to 25 nominees, 11 of whom are women. Lamont said the party will have candidates in every constituency by the official start of the campaign, if not earlier. 

He said the party hopes to bring on as many women as possible, but doesn't have a specific target. Fundraising has been a hurdle for some women contemplating runs for political office.