KLEIN: Under NDP rule, government transparency will be eroded

Content of the article

As a former elected official, I have witnessed the power of promise and the responsibility of holding government accountable. Today I feel compelled to explain a troubling pattern that has emerged under the NDP government – a pattern of broken promises and a troubling lack of transparency.

Content of the article

The NDP, once a vocal critic of the PC government's record of transparency, is now mired in its own quagmire of obscurity. During the October election, the NDP campaigned on a platform of transparency and accountability, only to fail to adhere to those principles and betray the trust of Manitobans.

Content of the article

Nowhere is this betrayal more evident than in the health sector, where Health Minister Uzoma's cloak of secrecy shields the surgical waiting list from public scrutiny. After taking office, the NDP quickly shut down the out-of-province operations, proclaiming them to be saviors that would fix the system's flaws. However, as time goes on, the wait will get longer under the Wab Kinew NDP government.

Content of the article

Content of the article

Shocking numbers released by the Manitoba PC Party show a staggering 1,300 surgeries were canceled between October and December 2023 alone. In addition, the NDP's negligence allowed important contracts with private surgical facilities to be torn up, throwing Manitoba's health care system into further disarray. The Kinew NDP's refusal to release any statistics since the start of the year raises troubling questions: What are they hiding?

The promises made by the Wab Kinev government to strengthen the health workers are hollow in the face of reality. Despite promising to hire more than 1,000 health workers, including 100 doctors, the NDP's actions speak louder than their rhetoric. The campaign clamor for health care reform has turned into a deafening silence of lofty and unfulfilled promises.

Content of the article

Recent NDP announcements, such as the launch of Institutional Safety Officers at select hospitals, are a reminder of the government's penchant for recycling old initiatives as new achievements. This program was announced as a step forward, in fact it was launched under the PC government, and preparations are underway before the elections.

The discrepancy between promises and results casts serious doubt on the NDP's commitment to addressing Manitoba's health care crisis.

The NDP's penchant for recycling old ads reached a new level with their commitment to lease health care space in one tower of the new True North project in Portage Place — an initiative initiated by the PC government. This pattern of repeating past successes shows the government's lack of innovative solutions to pressing health care issues.

Content of the article

Premier Wab Kinew's recent claims of investing in health care to ease staffing shortages ring hollow given the NDP's track record. The specter of broken promises looms large, casting doubt on the government's ability to deliver meaningful change.

As Manitobans, we deserve better. The health and well-being of our communities must not be sacrificed for political expediency. We must demand transparency and accountability from our elected officials. We must raise our voices, call our representatives and demand timely and accurate information. For the health of Manitobans and the integrity of our democracy, we cannot remain silent.

— Kevin Klein is a former Tory cabinet minister, former city councilor and former publisher of the Winnipeg Sun.

Content of the article