Canada’s largest union and the Manitoba NDP are pushing for the expansion of a federal-provincial wage top-up program now offered to workers in long-term care facilities and other settings. They say thousands of other health workers are facing similar risks while caring for COVID-19 patients and deserve similar benefits. "We have Manitobans who are on the front lines of protecting all of us from COVID-19 and who are putting their lives at risk day in and day out for all of our families, and they are being left behind," NDP MLA Nahanni Fontaine said Wednesday. Late last month, the province announced the $35-million Caregiver Wage Support Program, which provides a pay boost of $5 per hour to front-line workers in personal care homes, Child and Family Services and disability services group homes, family violence prevention shelters, homeless shelters and retirement residences.