Winnipeg Free Press By: Nathan Clark
Opinion
Friday marks the anniversary of a significant and unfortunate milestone in Manitoba.
March 12, 2020 – the day when the province’s first COVID-19 case was announced – is a day many of us remember well. I know I do.
As special assistant to Manitoba’s health minister, I had expected this day was coming for quite some time. It was inevitable. The pandemic was already wreaking havoc in Ontario. In British Columbia’s Lower Mainland, officials were scrambling to combat an outbreak at the Lynn Valley Care Home. Our teams had prepped speaking notes weeks ahead of time for Dr. Brent Roussin, Manitoba’s chief provincial public health officer, and then-health minister Cameron Friesen. Despite the strong warnings from public health officials and the province’s top politicos, COVID-19 was bound to be detected in Manitoba whether we liked it or not.
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The Manitoba government has provided more than $180 million through programs created to protect businesses from the impacts of COVID-19 and support the economy.
“Our priority is to protect Manitobans from the deadly pandemic and protect their livelihoods from its economic impacts,” Finance Minister, Scott Fielding announced last week. “We’ve created the most generous support system in the country to provide Manitobans with the right program at the right time, and we are listening to Manitoba businesses and individuals so we can help meet their evolving needs.”
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Opinion
Premier Brian Pallister’s stubborn claim his government can’t afford to adequately compensate small businesses hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic just got a little tougher to sell.
Premier Brian Pallister’s stubborn claim his government can’t afford to adequately compensate small businesses hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic just got a little tougher to sell.
Two days after lecturing small operators to tighten their belts, Pallister announced Manitoba’s projected deficit for 2020-21 dropped by nearly one-third, to just over $2 billion.
Manitoba projects lower deficit of $2B as significant uncertainty remains Click to Expand
MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS