EXCERPTS
The Manitoba government is spending $1.3 million to expand an employment program for single parents, the province’s families minister announced Tuesday.
The Single Parent Employment Program provides job readiness and employment assistance to single parents whose biggest barrier to getting a job is a lack of child care. The province says through Taking Charge! — an adult learning centre in downtown Winnipeg — more than 200 single parents will get access to child care.
“This funding to support innovative programming recognizes that many Employment and Income Assistance clients have complex barriers and their journey to financial independence requires a transformation of how the department works to meet their needs,” Families Minister Rochelle Squires said.
“By collaborating with various service providers, we are able to deliver specific programming and targeted supports to help transition Manitobans on EIA into employment.”
The province is providing $850,000 for Taking Charge! to provide personal development and pre-employment readiness programming. The funding will help those receiving EIA to be better prepared for the job market.
Squires also announced $500,000 for three employment programs in rural and northern Manitoba, which includes $142,600 to FireSpirit Inc. in Thompson, $150,000 to YMCA Thompson and $214,500 to Career Connection which provides training for rural Manitobans.
Province increasing summer surgical slate
Health Minister Audrey Gordon announced Tuesday that an additional 200 surgical slates are being completed this summer.
Gordon said she was not made aware of any mandate that asked nurses to give up summer vacations in order to complete the surgeries.
NDP health critic Uzoma Asagwara said this is not true, as the Union Station MLA has heard from nurses who have been asked to axe their summer vacation plans.
“We’re hearing from folks who’ve had their vacations, booked for quite some time that this is something that’s been put forward to them by being requested,” Asagwara told reporters. “So, what the minister is saying in response is simply not true.”
Doctors Manitoba estimates that there are more than 54,000 cases in surgical backlog across the province due to the COVID-19 pandemic.