A Manitoba NDP government will appoint a Minister Responsible for Mental Health and Addictions to lead the way. We will implement Main Street Project’s plan to build detox, treatment and transitional housing beds for Manitobans struggling with addictions in Winnipeg and in other areas of our province, including Brandon. The plan includes:

The methamphetamine crisis has put unbelievable stress and pressure on workers in our health care system. While Brian Pallister has refused to take action to address this crisis, health care workers are on the front-lines of the crisis saving lives and connecting people to treatment and recovery.

When dealing with addictions, Manitoba Liberals will: - Create “drug stabilization units” where people in meth withdrawal can be safely held and so they can’t hurt themselves or others - Extend recovery times in public treatment beds so that substance users can take the time that they need to recover - Fund transitional housing with mental health supports and provide further housing for people so they can recover - Expand harm reduction to reduce deaths and critical health incidents associated with injection drug use

Every single Manitoban has known someone with addiction; it is an issue that touches every family, every household and every person in this province. Using a portion of the revenues generated from cannabis, Manitoba Liberals will focus on prevention and intervention as well as better treatment. In addition to a province-wide public awareness campaign, we will fund anti-gang and intervention programs to show at-risk youths more positive paths in life.

Progressive Conservative

Tackling the issues surrounding mental health and addictions remain a top priority for our PC Team. We understand the challenges that are being faced by families, friends and frontline workers due to the rise of illicit drugs in our communities. As is the case with all of our reforms, we seek out expert and front line advice to guide our actions. That is why in our first mandate, our PC government commissioned the Virgo Report – a comprehensive strategy that reviewed Manitoba’s mental health and addictions programming and provided recommendations on how to improve the system so that it is able to provide appropriate care for years to come. We have already implemented, or in the process of implementing, 27 of the report’s more than 120 recommendations.

We have opened five Rapid Access to Addiction Medicine clinics throughout the province that have already helped over 1,400 Manitobans; we have signed on to the Emergency Treatment Fund which will create flexible-length withdrawal management services in Winnipeg and Brandon; we have increased the number of women’s treatment beds at AFM from 12 to 36 as well as added an additional four beds at the Behavioural Health Foundation; and, we have equipped paramedics with olanzapine to treat agitated patients who may be experiencing psychosis due to meth use.

Our PC government also participated in the Illicit Drug Task Force made up of the federal, provincial and municipal governments – a first of its kind in Canada. To date, we have implemented half of the Task Force’s recommendations. If re-elected our PC Team will implement our Safer Streets, Safer Lives Action plan to combat illicit drug use in Manitoba – both with additional treatment options and important steps to increase public safety in our communities.

To help those who need help escaping the grip of addiction, a re-elected PC government will open an acute medical sobering unit, a drop-in centre that can provide referrals to further supports, an additional RAAM clinic in Southern Health - Sante Sud and post-recovery supportive housing.

We are very aware of the challenges methamphetamine poses for front line service providers. In addition to the measures described, we have announced a safe emergency department at the Health Sciences Centre that will be made up of six seclusion rooms and six holding rooms. This will enhance safety for our front line service providers as they provide care to patients. We have also put new protocols in place to make those that work in our health care facilities more secure. This includes limiting visiting hours, securing more entrances, adding additional security guards, equipping staff with alarms, amongst a number of other measures. We have also begun work on a province-wide security review that will provide recommendations on how to ensure health care facilities across the system are safe for patients, staff and visitors.