Manitoba’s Progressive Conservatives are accusing the province’s NDP government of briefly reneging on a promise to hire all graduating paramedics who sought a job in their chosen field.
PC health critic Kathleen Cook said during question period Monday that Manitoba Shared Heath rejected the applications of paramedicine students who enrolled in school on the basis that jobs would be waiting for them if they completed their studies.
Cook produced two letters from paramedic students to back up this claim, redacting the names of the students in question. Both indicated the issue stemmed from the timing of exams that qualify paramedics to enter the workplace.
“The government knew that going in, and we’re told they told the students that that would be no problem,” Cook told reporters at the Manitoba Legislature following question period.
“This is coming from a government that promised to personally put job offers in the hands of every Manitoba graduate.”
Cook said she fears uncertainty around employment could lead paramedic graduates to move to other provinces.
In a statement, Shared Health said 14 affected students have since been offered jobs that will begin with orientations on June 3.
Shared Health said in the future, exams and hiring schedules will be co-ordinated to ensure paramedicine graduates can begin working soon after they finish school.
Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara called the hiring hiccup concerning and insisted the problem has been solved.
“We want for paramedic students to have opportunities in their hands well before they graduate,” Asagwara said.
“They’re having letters, offers in hand before they write their exams, but we want to make sure that moving forward we’ve got a rock-solid process in place that really motivates them to stay in Manitoba.”