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Winnipeg Free Press
23-06-2025
- Health
- Winnipeg Free Press
Doctors notes and increased medical costs
Opinion You may recall some point in your past — for some, a more recent past than others — of having to produce a document to prove to a schoolteacher that you were, in fact, not feeling well and did, in fact, have to be excused for the day. Signed, Mom. That seemed normal enough at the time. The question is, why is it so commonplace for employees to still have to do it, well into adulthood? It's a question health-care practitioners in Canada have been asking more often. Doctors Manitoba on Tuesday called for the provincial government to eliminate employer requirements for sick notes to excuse a worker's short-term absence from the job. This call comes after a similar one by the Canadian Medical Association, which made the entreaty to governments in October last year. Matt Goerzen/The Brandon Sun Manitoba Health Minister and Deputy Premier Uzoma Asagwara The reasoning for the two groups' request is the same: getting rid of the need for workers to obtain a doctor's note acknowledging an illness and the need to be away from work is a drain on health-care resources. It takes up a physician's already precious time with paperwork which has nothing to do with caring for a patient, and everything to do with ticking off a box on somebody else's list. Doctors Manitoba estimates getting rid of these requirements will free up time for hundreds of thousands of other patient visits and save tax- payers about $8 million per year. Those are all great reasons to consider doing away with the requirement, but there are other, more simple ones. The doctors clearly don't want to deal with writing sick notes. It's also questionable how useful getting such a note is for an employer: even if an employee sees a physician, gets a note, and provides it, they have already missed at least some work by that point, and arrangements will already have been made to compensate for the absence. As for the workers, it seems infantilizing to make working adults have to prove the severity of their own illness. Yes, it's possible someone isn't as sick as they claim and simply wants to take the day. But the worker — under the terms of workplace legislation, specific workplace standards or the terms of a bargaining agreement — is already generally afforded a set number of sick days per year. It should not be the employer's right to force a worker to justify the use of them. Weekday Evenings Today's must-read stories and a roundup of the day's headlines, delivered every evening. We have also learned a few things in recent years, and decades, which should change how we approach illness in the workplace. The COVID-19 pandemic was a wake-up call in terms of how we treat illness in public. Specifically we learned it's better to be safe than sorry — if you wake up with a scratchy throat and a cough, just stay home and make sure you're well before returning to work. No more powering through because you're 'not that bad.' And beyond dealing with the infectious, is dealing with the invisible. A worker struggling with their mental health should be able to take some time off to look after themselves without having to produce a note proving they are in the throes of depression or some other ailment. At the same time, managers still have to be able to manage their businesses and set policies for sick leave. The Manitoba NDP had put forward a private member's bill to eliminate sick note requirements for short-term illnesses in 2016, only for it to be struck down by the then-ruling PC government. Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara has said the province is still interested in such legislation. Let's hope we can all do away with an irritation, but still find a solution that works for employers and employees.
Winnipeg Free Press
04-06-2025
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Trying to make sense of a world without order
Opinion At my house, we often watch 'Squirrel TV.' Looking out the kitchen window, there is regular drama involving a variety of red and grey squirrels, birds and predators. Sometimes, like today, the squirrels just go nuts. Literally. Frantically bounding from one bird feeder to another, up and down oak trees, burying oilseed and acorns in bizarre places, fighting, running away, returning, in a total frenzy and for no discernible reason — demonstrating 'squirrel brain.' Somehow, it is also a metaphor for how I feel right now. Leaping from tragedy to disaster, from hockey to royal visits, to smoke and fiery evacuations, juggling work, household chores, and garden preparation. Unable to focus anywhere for long, before being pulled away by another impulse or demand. Squirrel brain. Matt Goerzen / The Brandon Sun Sometimes, the world just seems to have gone squirrely. Writing helps — the need to focus here, especially. So, looking at the last couple of weeks, a common theme has been 'security' — or, more accurately, 'insecurity.' First, economic. There is total mayhem, fuelled by whimsical presidential decisions that make acorn frenzy seem logical. Economic forecasters have been stunned into just reporting the latest news, unable to predict anything. Whether it is Elon Musk (the 'DOGE Father') preening in the Oval Office, or U.S. President Donald Trump preening everywhere, chaos rules. There is Trump's 'big, beautiful bill,' intended to fund tax cuts for the rich by reducing or eliminating federal government assistance to anyone who needs it, at home or abroad. 'Drill, baby, drill' policies effectively wipe out 35 years of environmental protection and conservation. Massive cuts to programs in health care, development assistance, and global relief will mean the suffering (and likely death) of millions, now and into the future. Far from making America great again, the United States is losing friends and allies around the world because of these actions. Its academic reputation is also in tatters. Trump's distrust of higher education is not only gutting crucial global scientific research collaboration, but making free thinking in the U.S. on any subject as dangerous as free speech. At a huge cost to American universities, visa games mean the United States will no longer be a choice destination for foreign students, who are the currency of global intercultural understanding and intellectual exchange. This ties to the second insecurity, which is social — the fear of 'the Other.' Everywhere, we are encouraged to see difference as a threat, as Trump's actions in the United States upend decades of domestic efforts toward diversity, equity and inclusion, and echo dangerously around the world. A nation of immigrants is being conditioned to see migrants as a threat to American society, whipped up by angry rhetoric far exceeding any current reality on the ground. To counter illegal immigration (on which the American agricultural and service sectors ironically depend), border restrictions have been yoked to revocation of residency status and the threat of massive deportations. Non-citizens, who have built lives and raised families in America, risk being deported back to countries from which they fled decades ago. That fear of the Other also spells the end of international tourism to the U.S., at a cost in billions. Border security agents have always been able to deny entry to whoever they chose, for whatever reason, but (in the past) common sense on all sides kept things civil. When Canadian universities caution against unnecessary travel south, however, Gimli looks like a better (and cheaper) option — and you won't need a burner phone to go there. Tuesdays A weekly look at politics close to home and around the world. The third insecurity, of course, is war. Russia has converted to a wartime economy, so lasting peace on the European mainland is a dangerous fiction. With Trump's hostility to NATO, other members have realized they can no longer trust either U.S. policies or its military hardware. And, while war rages on in Ukraine, there are other tragedies unfolding elsewhere. Whether in Gaza or Sudan, in Kashmir or Chad or the DRC, international law has gone out the window. Here, insecurity has led to the 'Golden Dome' idea for continental missile defence — Trump's update on the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI, or 'Star Wars') that failed so expensively under Ronald Reagan and then George Bush. Rather than object, Carney's government has wisely chosen to let it to collapse under its own absurd weight. (Besides, Trump still needs to persuade us to protect American cities by exploding enemy missiles over Canada.) A bigger threat to American security than missiles over the North Pole, however, is the anger of betrayed Republican voters, as their economy implodes and billionaires cavort. Yet all of these squirrel brain frenzies distract us from dealing with our biggest insecurity: the consequences of humans living against the Earth, instead of with it. Right now, you can smell and even taste what this means. There are still reasons for hope, and actions to take, some of which I am trying to write down and share in a book, as well as here. But it is hard to focus on tomorrow, when you are busy chasing after all those nuts today. Peter Denton writes from his home in rural Manitoba.
Winnipeg Free Press
30-05-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Province kills city's sulfur gas ground squirrel extermination plans
The City of Winnipeg won't be allowed to carry out its controversial plan to use a lethal pesticide on ground squirrels. In a Thursday letter to Mayor Scott Gillingham, Manitoba Environment and Climate Change Minister Mike Moyes advised the city it won't receive a permit to use the sulfur gas product known as 'Giant Destroyer.' 'I write to encourage the City of Winnipeg to explore alternative options that prioritize the safety and well-being of Manitobans… I recognize the challenge involved in balancing the safety of park visitors, environmental protection and public access,' wrote Moyes. A provincial spokesperson said the minister wasn't available for an interview Friday, due to the province's ongoing response to wildfires. In an email, Moyes said the decision followed a 'careful and thorough review.' 'The department consulted with experts in health, environment, and wildlife to inform the decision not to proceed with the application. Additionally, the department received nearly 6,300 public submissions expressing concern about the proposed control program,' the statement said. Moyes also 'strongly' recommended the city devote some of its provincial funding to fill in ground squirrel holes. The city initially planned to start using Giant Destroyer to euthanize animals at eight parks and community centre fields on May 20, but the program was delayed due to the wait for a provincial permit. (Matt Goerzen/The Brandon Sun files) The city initially planned to start using Giant Destroyer to euthanize animals at eight parks and community centre fields on May 20, but the program was delayed due to the wait for a provincial permit. (Matt Goerzen/The Brandon Sun files) The city initially planned to start using Giant Destroyer to euthanize animals at eight parks and community centre fields on May 20 but the program was delayed due to the wait for a provincial permit. If no treatment occurs, city officials have warned ground squirrels can create deep holes in athletic fields where people and pets can trip and hurt themselves. A request to interview a city official was not granted Friday. In an email, a spokeswoman said the province noted public concern and 'insufficient consideration of alternative methods' as reasons for denying the permit. 'We do not have any other feasible options… The public safety risk of deep, exposed holes in parks and playing fields is already significant and will only grow without control,' wrote spokeswoman Julie Horbal Dooley. By contrast, an opponent of the treatment plan welcomed the province's choice. 'I'm actually very pleased with that decision … First and foremost, the proposed method of euthanasia (was) neither humane nor efficient,' said James Hare, a University of Manitoba professor emeritus in biological sciences. Hare said the sulfur gas poisoning would cause a painful death. 'If you place these gas bombs in a burrowing system… you are going to have individual (animals) that are going to be exposed, in many cases, minimally to that gas, so they will suffer but not die. You will also have individuals who are exposed to even a moderate concentration… who will suffer an incredibly painful and slow death, sometimes taking over an hour,' he said. Hare said trapping ground squirrels between mid-March and early April, when adults are emerging from hibernation and have not yet started breeding, would offer much more effective population control. The animals could then be given an anesthetic and euthanized with a fast-acting drug, he said. Hare said the city's concern with the hazard posed by ground squirrel holes is valid, though he expects the level of field damage has already reached its peak for this year. 'I understand, begrudgingly, how ground squirrels do have to be controlled. But if you're going to do it, do it right,' he said. Mayor Scott Gillingham said Thursday he believes some treatment is needed to protect people using city sports fields. (Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun files) Mayor Scott Gillingham said Thursday he believes some treatment is needed to protect people using city sports fields. (Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun files) Mayor Scott Gillingham said Thursday he believes some treatment is needed to protect people using city sports fields. 'Right now, when you've got a soccer field or a baseball diamond that's riddled with gopher holes, it's dangerous for everyone that's using it,' he said. 'I, for one, am open to any solution that can assist us in getting rid of these ground squirrels so that we can make our fields playable again.' The mayor expressed concern about the province's rejection of the permit on Friday. 'I'm disappointed in this decision. These sports fields are heavily used and keeping them in safe condition for kids and adults should be a priority,' he said in a written statement. The city had planned to use the pesticide at Charleswood Place, Beryl Watts Park/Vince Leah Community Centre, Fairgrove Bay Park, Woodsworth Park, Shaughnessy Park, Weston Memorial Community Centre, Theodore Niitzhotay Fontaine Park and St. James Memorial Sports Park. The decision came after mounting opposition directed at city hall, where protesters gathered Thursday morning. 'For the ground squirrels, specifically, it's a very cruel method of getting rid of them. They die a very slow, agonizing death … And then (there are) also the broader (affects) on non-target species (and) wildlife,' said Danae Tonge, an organizer with Manitoba Animal Save. Those concerns include putting predators, pets and people at risk of exposure to sulfur gas, she said. X: @joyanne_pursaga Joyanne PursagaReporter Joyanne is city hall reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. A reporter since 2004, she began covering politics exclusively in 2012, writing on city hall and the Manitoba Legislature for the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in early 2020. Read more about Joyanne. Every piece of reporting Joyanne produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
