‘Let’s Make It Happen’: Community Raises Collective Voice for Portage MRI at Successful Town Hall
PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE — Over 200 Manitobans came together Tuesday evening for a successful town hall event, hosted by Portage la Prairie MLA Jeff Bereza, as part of an ongoing push to include an MRI unit in the new Portage District General Hospital.
“Last night showed that Portagers and Manitobans will continue raising their collective voice for the tens of thousands of people waiting for MRIs in our province,” said Bereza. “The community is confident that we are going to make this happen.”
The nonpartisan town hall took place at Prairie Fusion Arts and Entertainment Centre and included speakers of various backgrounds. Along with Bereza, the panel on stage included local educator James Kostuchuk as emcee; Southern Health-Santé Sud Implementation Lead Kyle MacNair; Long Plain First Nation Councillor and Elder Liz Merrick, who is on the governing board for Southern Health; and Portage resident Judith Jeffries, who shared her and her husband’s experience having to travel out of province, and pay out of pocket, to receive MRI scans.
Following brief speeches from the panel, attendees were offered mics and invited to ask questions, express their concerns, and share their stories in a nonpartisan manner. Southern Health board chair Adam Monteith concluded the town hall with an encouraging statement.
“So many Portagers stood up to speak to the issue and courageously share their own stories,” said Bereza. “We heard from a young woman with a family history of breast cancer whose life was saved thanks to an MRI, but now worries for her daughter. We heard from a young Indigenous man who is currently in incredible pain and was told by Shared Health just yesterday that he’s going to have to wait 44 weeks for an MRI.”
“The main focus last night was to hear from the community and show to the government that this is a people issue, not a political one. When you go to the hospital, they don’t ask you which party you support. Regardless of political persuasion, this is an opportunity for all of us to do better and hear from the people.”
Wab Kinew and health minister Uzoma Asagwara were both in Portage la Prairie on Tuesday, but did not attend the town hall. Bereza repeatedly reached out to Asagwara—in the Legislative chamber and via letters and emails to the department—to attend the event, originally offering the minister to choose a preferred date.
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