Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - May 8, 2025, Winnipeg, Manitoba TOP NEWS A3 THURSDAY MAY 8, 2025 ● ASSOCIATE EDITOR, NEWS: STACEY THIDRICKSON 204-697-7292 ● CITY.DESK@FREEPRESS.MB.CA ● WINNIPEGFREEPRESS.COM Paramedics ponder quitting: union M INUTES after resuscitating an unresponsive child, stabilizing an injured patient or admin- istering life-saving medication to an overdose victim, Winnipeg paramedics often rush to their next call without time to catch their breath, union lead- ers said Wednesday. The demands of emergency care, including violent incidents, along with burnout and understaffing, have re- sulted in many paramedics considering a job change, according to survey re- sults released by the Manitoba Govern- ment and General Employees’ Union. “Doing CPR on somebody isn’t a normal human event… sometimes we are doing it two, three times in a day. Sometimes on the same person,” MGEU Local 911 president Ryan Woiden told a news conference. “It might shock people, but that’s why we are here today.” About 287 paramedics and dispatch- ers were asked to participate in the survey, which collected responses from 205 members during a week in April. The results revealed 71 per cent have seriously considered quitting in the last year; 77 per cent said they feel emotion- ally drained or burned out because of stress; 67 per cent believe staffing is in- adequate; and 63 per cent say they have limited support from management. Of the participants, 93 per cent said they have experienced violence on the job, while 24 per cent said such inci- dents occur daily and 41 said they hap- pen weekly. “While people sleep in their beds, paramedics are out there, and they’re getting things swung at them, kicked, punched — it’s all sorts of things go- ing on out there,” said Woiden, who has been a paramedic for 25 years. “When you call 911, you want to know that someone is going to be there, and we want to be there for those citizens. But the reality is the system… is not supporting the people that are respond- ing, and it’s not supporting the people that are expecting us there. Our crews are physically and emotionally exhaust- ed.” The union represents 390 paramedics and dispatchers in Winnipeg. Only those who provided their contact infor- mation were able to respond to the sur- vey, a union spokesperson said. Woiden said city paramedics often work without breaks and sometimes are assigned to emergencies when they are still treating a patient. “Imagine you’re trying to help some- body, and you have a patient on your stretcher in the hospital, and then, when you offload them… you realize you’ve been (assigned another) call for four or five minutes, and you didn’t even know,” said Woiden. He joined MGEU president Kyle Ross to call on the city and provincial gov- ernment to bolster staffing and mental health supports. They urged officials to re-examine the service delivery policies of the Win- nipeg Fire Paramedic Service to find deficiencies. Woiden suggested some calls do not warrant emergency transfers to the hospital, and could be better handled by treating people in their homes, co-or- dinating home care or the delivery of pharmaceuticals. Paramedics must “be able to engage the public in a way that isn’t always lights and sirens, off to the hospital,” he said. “I don’t think (the system needs) an entire major overhaul, I think we need to make tweaks that the front-line people are suggesting.” WFPS Chief Christian Schmidt said in an email that call volumes and acuity have increased in recent years, and the prevalence of illicit drugs such as opi- oids has increased on-the-job violence. In response, the WFPS has in- vested in its behavioural health unit, which provides mental health support, Schmidt said. The fire service regularly updates provincial health authorities about call volumes, staffing levels and challenges faced by its employees, he said. “While I have not seen the survey described, it’s important to me to hear what our members have to say and I look forward to receiving the results,” Schmidt said. “This is a difficult job, and we have a talented team who come to work ready to make a positive difference in the lives of residents facing emergencies. I also know the workload and stress from this role can be a challenge.” Schmidt said the WFPS has changed the way it dispatches emergency calls to ensure the most time-dependent emer- gencies are first priority. This ensures paramedics are available to respond quickly, and also means less-urgent calls wait longer in the queue, he said. “By prioritizing with more precision, we are also able to ensure crews are getting the breaks they need for lunch- es, training, etc.,” Schmidt said in his email. “While this change was only im- plemented two weeks ago, we are confi- dent the impacts will be positive.” Ross said the survey results highlight a crisis among first responders that has been brewing for years. He cautioned the situation could lead to a rise in psychological injuries. Woiden said some paramedics are taking early retirement, switching to policing or firefighting, or moving out of the city. A targeted recruitment drive and increase in career incentives could encourage new paramedics to join the city’s complement, Ross said. Woiden stressed solutions must go be- yond hiring more staff and must focus on improving the daily work environ- ment. The province issued a statement late in the day. “This past year we hired over 1,600 net new health care workers to our sys- tem. We know that there is more work to be done. That’s why we’ve also sig- nalled our intent to focus on staffing up paramedics by adding a position to our retention and recruitment office to focus specifically on allied health pro- fessionals,” it read, in part. tyler.searle@freepress.mb.ca Stress, violence, emotional exhaustion cited TYLER SEARLE MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS FILES ‘While people sleep in their beds, paramedics are out there, and they’re getting things swung at them, kicked, punched...,’ says MGEU Local 911 president Ryan Woiden. “As an Albertan, I firmly believe that,” he said. “You can always ask a question, but I know what I would respond clearly.” On Tuesday, Ford criticized talk of Alberta separating and said Canada must be united in its fight against the United States. “This is a time to unite the country, not people saying, ‘Oh, I’m leaving the country,’” he said. Asked Wednesday if any premiers on the call cautioned Smith about the timing of a referen- dum, given the talk of annexation coming from the White House, Ford said “no one brought that up” but it might come up in “a private conversa- tion.” Ford was also asked if federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre had asked him for a meeting. He said he thinks Poilievre “asked everyone across the country for a meeting.” “I have no problem with that, and I’d be more than happy to talk to anyone and work with any- one,” Ford said. Ford said the premiers also talked about break- ing down interprovincial trade barriers. While Carney has said his government would table leg- islation by July 1 to allow goods to travel across the country barrier-free, Ford said Wednesday that he wants the premiers to get together and sign memorandums of understanding. “Even Danielle (Smith), we’re texting back and forth, and she wants to sign an MOU too,” he said. Ford said Carney asked all the premiers to pass on five priorities for large national infrastruc- ture projects. “We’re fighting the tariffs and we just want to get projects moving forward as quickly as possi- ble,” he said. Carney and Trump spent about two hours together Tuesday at the White House, including about half an hour in front of the cameras in the Oval Office. It was their first face-to-face discussion of U.S.-Canada relations and Trump’s ongoing trade war. B.C. Premier David Eby said after the meeting Wednesday that the premiers agreed Carney succeeded in setting the tone for “a new relation- ship” between Canada and the U.S. He said the premiers were all “grateful” the meeting went the way it did, given how recent meetings with other world leaders have gone in the Oval Office. Eby also said British Columbians are “all in” for Canada and that this is the moment to stand together as a country. “The idea of separating here is a non-starter,” Eby said, adding he encourages premiers to work together to hold the country together and push back against any separatist movement. Carney said he and Trump agreed to talk fur- ther in the coming weeks and will meet in person again when the prime minister hosts the G7 leaders at a summit in Alberta from June 15 to 17. “Really, today marked the end of the beginning of a process of the United States and Canada redefining that relationship of working together,” Carney said. “The question is how we will co-op- erate in the future. How we can build an eco- nomic and security relationship built on mutual respect, built on common interests, that delivers transformational benefits to our economies.” Fen Hampson, a Carleton University professor and co-chair of a group of experts on Cana- da-U.S. relations, said Carney has to manage a “two-track set” of negotiations with the U.S. First, he faces coming negotiations on the Canada-U.S.-Mexico trade agreement. CUSMA is scheduled to be reviewed in 2026 but Trump has indicated he wants it reopened sooner. Then there is the “more immediate” challenge of persuading Washington to lift recently imposed tariffs on Canadian exports, Hampson said. “That’s the first order of the day because I think he recognizes, our government recogniz- es, that you can’t be renegotiating (a trade deal) when essentially the Americans have broken the back of the agreement with these very punitive tariffs,” he said. While Trump said Tuesday there was nothing Carney could say to get him to lift the tariffs im- mediately, Hampson said the president is “quite capable” of changing his mind. Working in Canada’s favour, Hampson said, is the fact that the American economy is “about to tank” as a result of tariffs imposed on Can- ada and other countries, including China. The challenge will be to get Trump to understand the importance of Canada’s market, he added. Carney is expected to name a new cabinet next week, ahead of the return of Parliament at the end of the month. Hampson said he suspects the prime minister will be making some changes to his core team and that he’s going to have to pick people who are “tough and good negotiators.” — The Canadian Press CARNEY ● FROM A1 Bring ‘nation-building’ projects to Manitoba, Kinew tells PM “MANITOBA is the Costco of critical minerals,” Premier Wab Kinew told the prime minister Wed- nesday morning, ahead of a Canadian leaders meeting later in the day. In a two-page letter to Mark Carney laying out the province’s top “nation-building” priorities, Kinew proposed Ottawa help develop Manitoba’s mineral-rich North to fast-track exploration and extraction and build a critical-mineral workforce with Indigenous nations. “At this pivotal moment in our nation’s history, I look forward to working with you to build a strong- er and more prosperous Manitoba and Canada,” Kinew wrote. Carney met virtually Wednesday afternoon with provincial and territorial leaders for the first time since Canadians elected a minority Liberal government on April 28. The meeting came a day after he and key cab- inet officials travelled to Washington to discuss cross-border trade tensions with U.S. President Donald Trump and members of his administra- tion. Kinew detailed five projects for consideration under the federal Liberals’ One Project, One Re- view policy, designed to streamline decision-mak- ing on major funding initiatives. He noted that Manitoba’s central location and Arctic port, relationship with Indigenous govern- ments and hydroelectricity make it “uniquely pos- itioned for success.” He pitched a “One Canada Trade Corridor” to bring Canadian goods and energy to new markets via the Port of Churchill, which would require federal funding for icebreakers to expand the shipping season through Hudson Bay, as well as new energy generation and transmission infra- structure. Kinew suggested the creation of Indigenous fair-trade zones that serve as inland ports and are exempt from tariffs. Manitoba is also seeking Ottawa’s support to grow a new agriculture technology exchange campus in downtown Winnipeg and twin the Trans-Canada Highway. Carney’s office issued a statement after the first ministers’ meeting. The group discussed ideas “to diversify the economy, create higher-paying jobs and build one Canadian economy instead of 13,” it states. During question period at the legislature Wed- nesday, the Opposition Tories asked the NDP gov- ernment how it’s protecting the local film industry in response to Trump’s latest threat. The president revealed over the weekend that he wants to slap a 100 per cent levy on all films made in foreign countries. Progressive Conservative MLA Richard Per- chotte condemned the NDP’s decision to not con- tinue subsidizing flights between Winnipeg and Los Angeles and Atlanta; a $4.8-million fund cre- ated by former Tory premier Heather Stefanson’s government to support the province’s film-pro- duction industry ran dry in 2023. “When will they stand up and protect this indus- try?” Perchotte (Selkirk) asked. Kinew indicated that he, along with the premiers of British Columbia and New Brunswick, raised the issue with Carney. “Working with the prime minister, working with the other provinces and territories, we have to protect industries across the board,” the premier told the legislative assembly. “(That includes) the film industry, software, technology, manufacturing, ag industries.” Kinew said propping up those sectors, which he noted “generate intellectual property,” is key to building wealth for Manitoba and Canada. Carney reiterated Wednesday he is committed to introducing legislation on Parliament Hill to eliminate federal trade barriers ahead of Canada Day. He is scheduled to meet with Kinew and other Canadian premiers on June 2 in Saskatoon. maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca MAGGIE MACINTOSH ;