Shameless: NDP Say No to Earlier Breast Cancer Screenings, Accountability for Healthcare Wait Times
WINNIPEG — The Kinew NDP blocked Bills 203 and 226 Thursday, killing legislation aimed at protecting Manitoba women and improving transparency for Manitoba patients.
“Manitobans deserve accountability from their government,” Roblin MLA Kathleen Cook, PC Critic for Health. “The NDP have made it clear that they have no intention of being accountable or putting aside partisanship to ensure better health outcomes.”
Bill 203, The Earlier Screening for Breast Cancer Act, was introduced by Cook to lower the initial eligibility age for routine breast cancer screening services to 40 years, and to do so by a hard deadline of Dec. 31, 2026. The legislation also mandates yearly public reporting by the Minister of Health on the implementation and impact of this initiative.
Bill 226, The Health System Governance and Accountability Amendment Act (Reporting When Timely Care Not Available)—or Debbie’s Law—also introduced by Cook, requires health authorities to notify patients when life-saving care cannot be provided within medically recommended time frames, give patients out-of-province care options when waits in Manitoba are too long, and mandates reporting of all patient deaths linked to healthcare delays for life-saving procedures.
Both bills were blocked by the NDP three times Thursday morning, effectively killing the pieces of legislation before end of session. This marks the second time that the NDP killed PCs’ breast cancer bill, which was also introduced last year.
“The NDP had nothing negative to say about either bill, no amendments, no critiques when brought to second reading,” said Cook. “The health minister can grandstand in the Legislature and make endless empty promises, but when it comes to acting on common-sense, patient-first policy, they have let Manitobans down at every opportunity.”
“Wab Kinew and Uzoma Asagwara have failed Manitoba families waiting for life-saving care, breast cancer survivors, advocates, and women all across the province. They should feel ashamed.”
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