Within hours after the Conference Board of Canada released its results of a National Health Care study ranking Manitoba’s Health Care system as dead last among all the provinces of Canada, our Manitoba Health Minister, Tim Sale, pointed the finger of blame at our elderly, our poor and our aboriginal people. This was a pathetic sight to see. Instead of accepting responsibility for the results of this independent study, and pledging to work toward improving our health care system for the benefit of all Manitobans, our Health Minister chose to point his finger at anyone and everyone except himself. Instead of committing to improve the living conditions of the elderly, the poor and our aboriginal people, our Health Minister chose to blame them for our failing health care system. Clearly if our Health Minister is not committed to improving our health care system, then I call upon our Premier to find someone who will.

What will we hear next? That Manitobans who are ill are at fault? Clearly if there were no sick people in Manitoba we would likely have the best health system in Canada. I hope that I have not given the NDP any ideas on who to blame next! The NDP has had nearly 7 years to improve our health system and they have failed to do it in spite of the 4th highest per capita spending on health care in Canada.