Manitoba election: PC leader's health-care privatization remarks under fire

Progressive Conservative Leader Brian Pallister is facing questions after he said he would not rule out privatizing parts of Manitoba's health-care system if elected next week.

Pallister made the remark at a televised leaders' debate at CBC Manitoba's headquarters on Tuesday evening, prompting attacks from his political rivals and concerns among some voters who do not want to see privatized health-care services.

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When asked specifically during the debate about his plans for health care, Pallister evaded the question but wouldn't rule out the possibility of implementing private systems.

"Many Manitobans are actually resorting to private-sector options in other countries because of extensive wait times," he said.

"Over half our health-care services right now are provided by the private sector, so I don't know how to answer this question any other way."

On Wednesday, Pallister said he would not rule out privatizing some parts of the health-care system but not what he referred to as "existing services."

"I'm not looking at privatization in the sense of our existing systems, but I am open-minded in improving our systems," he told reporters in Winnipeg.

"I think if we are going to be innovative instead of ideological — which is Mr. Selinger's, I think, problem — if we are going to be innovative, we should be looking at creative ways of solving our health-care problems."

Pressed for specifics

When pressed for specifics of what those solutions may include, Pallister said an example might be how Manitoba currently recruits foreign doctors to work mostly in rural communities.

If a review found that the process could be done more efficiently and effectively by a private consultant, he would look at that option, he said.

Pallister said he would not make any decisions related to health-care spending until reviews are completed to see where efficiencies can be found.

He has said several times on the campaign trail that front-line health care workers have told him and his party that there are efficiencies that can be found within the system.

"Front-line workers are telling us there are problems in the system and they are advancing ideas," Pallister said.

During the debate, Pallister argued that Manitobans already have a two-tiered health-care system under Selinger, referring to long hospital wait times and ambulance fees that top $500 in some rural areas.

Nurses, public employees against idea

Manitoba Nurses Union president Sandi Mowat said her members do not support any degree of privatization in the health-care system.

"In our experience privatization does not make patient care better," Mowat said.

It could pit the public system against private, she said, meaning the public may end up with fewer resources.

"We're already stretched pretty thin specifically around nurses, we know there's a nursing shortage in Manitoba," said Mowat.

Michelle Gawronsky, president of the Manitoba Government and General Employees' Union, accused the PC leader of flip flopping.

"Earlier in this campaign, Brian Pallister made a commitment to MGEU members that he would 'keep public services public', and our members have an expectation that he will honour this commitment; now it appears he's softening on that," she said.

"Without question we're concerned when Mr. Pallister talks about diverting health dollars to a private, for profit health care model which we know puts a strain on the limited number of health care professionals in the public system."

'He could've said no,' say NDP

But Pallister's failure to flatly shut down the possibility of privatizing even parts of the health-care system is a sign it's something he's already considering, according to the NDP.

"With this admission, he's confirmed he is actually considering privatization," Selinger said in a news release Wednesday.

"He could have said 'no' to privatization and instead very deliberately refused to do so. The question is what services will be first on the chopping block."

The NDP also argued that the Progressive Conservatives have "only promised to bring in highly paid corporate consultants to review health spending."

Former Liberal leader Jon Gerrard, who is seeking re-election in River Heights, said he doesn't believe there should be a further privatization of health-care services.

"We don't believe there's a need to change from where we are right now with a publicly funded health-care system, and a system in which we have a public health care, medicare system," he said.

Both the NDP and the Liberals say privatizing health care is not on the table for them.

Voters concerned

The idea of privatizing health-care services was concerning for several people CBC News spoke with in Osborne Village in Winnipeg on Wednesday afternoon.

"I think medical care is a fundamental right and I don't think that because you come from a higher caste system that you should be able to jump the queue," said Craig Penner.

"Everybody should get the equal treatment when it comes to a necessity."

Colin Desjarlais said he also has concerns about privatizing health care.

"We have an excellent health-care system and if it's not broken, don't touch it," he said.

"My concern is that if we start privatizing things, when does it end? There's a lot of really good things that Manitoba has going for it in terms of the fact that there's very little privatization here."

Daniel Lemire said he believes privatization is prompted by those who have a financial vested interest in it.

"A privatized system requires the system to bring in some kind of profits for their shareholders. Those profits are coming out of and funded by the actual procedures that are going to be funded," he said.

"So it's not conceivable to me that it can be done cheaper or more efficiently. That's not a true situation."

On Wednesday, Pallister was asked if "privatization" was a dirty word among some people and he said yes.

"That's why Greg Selinger uses it — the same as he uses 'two-tier.' He uses it as a weapon," Pallister added. "He's done more for two-tier health care than any premier in the history of Manitoba."