Fact Check: Hugh's amnesia on firing 1,000 nurses

Hugh McFayden would like you to forget that over 1,000 nurses were fired the last time his Conservatives were in power. He’s gone so far as to say that “no nurses were fired”.

It seems he has amnesia. Here’s a quick history lesson Mr. McFadyen.

FACT: In 1999, the Winnipeg Free Press reported that the Conservative government had eliminated “1,100 nursing jobs over the past six years.”
Source: Doug Nairne, Winnipeg Free Press March 12, 1999

FACT: In 1998, the Manitoba Nurses Union reported that already “1,000 nurses have been laid-off by government.”
Source: Health Care in Manitoba Report, Manitoba Nurses Union, April 1998

FACT: In 1999, 14,092 nurses were practicing in Manitoba - a steep drop from 15,665 in 1992.
Source: Manitoba’s nursing colleges - Manitoba Nursing Labour Market Supply report

Most of us would like to forget that period in Manitoba’s history. But no matter how Hugh spins it, the fact remains that his party fired and drove out more than 1,000 nurses that Manitoba families count on for care.

It’s taken a decade of health care investments to recover from the mess they created.

But they’re still at it. This year, Hugh McFadyen’s Conservatives put forward a budget amendment that would require $450 million in new budget cuts – meaning devastating cuts to hospitals, longer wait times for surgery and in ERs, and fewer family doctors.

Greg Selinger and your NDP MLAs are building our health care system to ensure all Manitobans get the care that they need. You can learn more about our plan here.