On behalf of all of us at MAHCP, I wish all our EMS members a Happy Paramedic Services Week (proclaimed this year in Manitoba as Paramedic Week). Thank you for giving of yourself to others every day, and for demonstrating excellence under circumstances that continue to be more challenging than they need to be.
Right now, Manitobans need every qualified paramedic we can get to fill the gaps left after years of underinvestment and neglect. We made progress together last year with gains in the new collective agreement, and the current government has committed to hiring more paramedics, in more diverse and advanced roles.
Unfortunately, as I told the Winnipeg Sun last week, the positive statements shared by members of the legislature aren’t translating quickly enough into practice to provide relief for you on the front line. That needs to change.
We believe much of the problem lies with Shared Health. That’s why MAHCP is advocating for the much-needed culture change that has been promised. Our provincial government won’t be able to add 200 more paramedics (like they committed to during last year’s election campaign) unless Shared Health changes their ways, recruits and hires faster, and stops making your job harder.
This Paramedic Week, and every week, you deserve to be valued, supported and fully staffed. You should be able to focus on patient care, decompress with proper time off, and forge a rewarding career with opportunity for advancement. Instead, you’re worrying about your next shift and if you’ll have the resources you need to help the Manitobans who rely on you.
If you have a story you want me to hear, one you think will help as I advocate to the Minister of Health and other system leaders about the changes we need, please reach out to me at president@mahcp.ca. We have more work to do, together.
Once again, I want to wish everyone a Happy Paramedic Week. Thank you for what you do.
In solidarity,
Jason Linklater
