‘Left-wing’ giving Pallister fits — recovery from injured arm going slower than expected

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This article was published 16/01/2018 (2285 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Premier Brian Pallister said his recovery is “not great” after suffering multiple breaks to his left arm in a fall while hiking.

Pallister told reporters Wednesday that his doctor has said his recovery will likely take about six months rather than an expected three months.

Pallister jokingly suggested that part of the problem is he waves his arm too much when talking and that he may have to strap his arm to his body and look like Napoleon.

The premier was badly injured when he fell Nov. 13 after dark on a remote hiking trail in Gila National Forest in New Mexico. He later suffered a setback when he fell at home.

“Many Manitobans deal with far worse situations every day,” the premier said Wednesday.

Asked if the injury will keep him from pitching softball this summer, Pallister noted: “I’m left-handed, but I pitch right-handed — go figure.”

Meanwhile, Pallister said his transformation of the civil service will be unveiled soon.

The premier announced late last year that he plans to overhaul the civil service in undisclosed ways that will attract young people to exciting and challenging jobs. His pledge comes at a time when his government is freezing public sector wages and benefits and has ordered 15 per cent reductions of jobs at management level.

The transformation is necessary, he said, because civil servants are retiring at record rates. “We have an ulterior motive here— we’re losing five per cent of civil servants each year.”

Pallister said his government is working with organized labour to be able to offer young people “the most gratifying civil service career of anyone in Canada.”

But organized labour fired back Wednesday, saying this is the first that the Manitoba Government and General Employees Union has heard about Pallister working with the union that represents civil servants.

“As the union that represents workers in the provincial civil service, we’re not sure who the premier is referring to when he says he’s working with organized labour about the future of the civil service, because it isn’t the MGEU,” said MGEU president Michelle Gawronsky. “This is particularly concerning because the premier said he is almost ready to make an announcement about his plans.

She said the union has offered to meet with the premier several times, but he has only met with them once, which was more than a year ago.

“So far, the only transformation this premier has announced is the elimination of 1,200 jobs — 700 of which are already gone,” Gawronsky said.

“More cuts will further weaken public services. It could mean fewer probation officers keeping communities safe, fewer water-testers to protect the environment, fewer workers to keep vulnerable children in care safe, and fewer highways staff to clear snow off our roads. It’s hard to see how that kind of transformation will make civil service jobs more gratifying and attractive for young people.”

The premier also addressed the issue of opioid and methamphetamine addiction and overdoses and whether he would consider safe injection sites.

“(Overdoses) are very concerning, obviously. The health minister (Kelvin Goertzen) is taking this issue very seriously.”

Pallister said the government must address the causes of addiction, as well as dealing with the effects of addiction. He declined to say whether the Conservative government has entirely ruled out safe injection sites, referring all questions to Goertzen, who has said no to establishing safe injection sites.

nick.martin@freepress.mb.ca