Statement from MAHCP regarding violence against paramedics
Published July 29, 2025
Yesterday’s violent incident involving a patient and our paramedics is horrifying, but it’s a daily reality for first responders.
The thought of being trapped in a box, travelling at high speeds down a highway, and trying to pull over to wrestle a pair of shears from a patient for whom you were just providing care, is unimaginable for most of us.
The outcome could have been tragic, and the psychological impact of this kind of threat is long-lasting for our members.
“Although we’re very grateful for the swift actions of our paramedics and the help from law enforcement, the patient, our members, and innocent bystanders were all at serious risk,” said Tanya Burnside, Vice President, MAHCP. “We hear from our members regularly about the violence they face on the job, and clearly, changes to safety protocols are long overdue.”
Meanwhile, Shared Health is required by the Manitoba Workplace Safety & Health Act to report on workplace violence annually. Violent incidents in Manitoba hospitals and health-care facilities have not been tracked since 2019, and earlier this year, MAHCP confirmed the same is true for violent incidents involving rural paramedics.
Reminder: Tracking and reporting are not just ‘helpful tools’; this is the law. Without data, how can health-care employers expect to properly mitigate risks?
“This violent attack on paramedics is absolutely intolerable. They did everything right while providing care, following protocol, and still found themselves in a terrifying situation,” said Rebecca Clifton, MAHCP Labour Relations Officer & Administrative Director, Paramedic Association of Manitoba. “No one should fear for their life while trying to save someone else’s. Paramedics, along with all first responders, deserve better protection and more respect.”
Employer responses to violent incidents often seems to be driven by damage control rather than addressing actual risks.
Law enforcement is not always going to be readily available to defuse dangerous situations. Our government must enforce proper reporting requirements for all health-care facilities and programs, and collaborate with first responders and applicable organizations to address the violence.
See our post, dated February 2025, related to the overall lack of reporting related to violent incidents throughout Manitoba’s health-care system: Health-care professionals facing increasing violent incidents – Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals