CARP President Anthony Quinn met virtually this week with The Honourable Uzoma Asagwara, Deputy Premier of Manitoba, Minister of Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care, and MLA for Union Station (Winnipeg), along with members of the Minsiter’s team, to advance urgent priorities for older Manitobans. Representing the CARP Manitoba Chapter on the video call was Carmen Nedohin, former Chapter Chair and a longtime volunteer advocate for seniors in the province.
CARP raised five key areas of concern:
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Long-Term Care (Personal Care Homes): Meeting rising demand and ensuring care homes uphold the highest standards of safety, dignity, and quality of life.
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Home and Community Care: Shifting the burden from hospitals and institutions to effective, compassionate care delivered at home.
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Vaccination Access for Seniors: Ensuring timely access to COVID-19 boosters, high-dose flu shots, shingles, RSV, and pneumonia vaccines.
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Health Workforce Strategy: Addressing the urgent need for trained doctors, nurses, and personal care home staff.
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Prevention and Wellness: Investing in healthy aging, physical activity, and combatting social isolation.
The meeting was overwhelmingly positive. Minister Asagwara not only listened carefully, but also shared CARP’s concerns and clearly demonstrated leadership and momentum on every issue we raised. The Minister’s responses reflected a commitment to meaningful investment and systemic change—going beyond the well-worn rhetoric often heard from elected officials.
On long-term care, the Minister acknowledged the pressing demand for more personal care home beds and emphasized the importance of shifting toward more home-like models of care. The Minister expressed interest in exploring ways to implement these models more broadly across Manitoba.
Addressing health workforce shortages, the Minister confirmed this file is a top priority. The Minister is working closely with experts on both short- and long-term strategies to recruit and retain staff across the system.
On home care, Minister Asagwara affirmed CARP’s view that proactive, high-quality home care is not only more compassionate but also fiscally responsible. The Minister acknowledged that Manitoba once led the country in home care and said they are focused on restoring that leadership.
Regarding vaccination access, the Minister expressed shared concern about affordability and access. The Minister emphasized that Manitoba will continue providing COVID-19 vaccines as part of its public health strategy, and while funding for shingles and RSV vaccines is under active consideration, no commitment could yet be made to eliminate out-of-pocket costs in the near term.
We commend Minister Asagwara for openness, leadership, and accessibility, especially during a busy summer recess. CARP left the meeting confident that Manitoba’s current leadership understands the urgency of population aging and is committed to action—not delay.
Too many governments, in Manitoba and across Canada, have failed to plan for the demographic transformation now upon us. CARP is encouraged by the direction this government is taking and looks forward to continuing our work with the Minister and team in the months ahead.
