{"id":581412,"date":"2026-04-04T09:14:08","date_gmt":"2026-04-04T09:14:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/581412\/"},"modified":"2026-04-04T09:14:08","modified_gmt":"2026-04-04T09:14:08","slug":"letters-april-4-winnipeg-free-press","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/581412\/","title":{"rendered":"Letters, April 4 \u2013 Winnipeg Free Press"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\tWish for loan program<\/p>\n

Re: Carney says he\u2019s still committed to green incentives promised during leadership race<\/a> (April 1)<\/p>\n

It\u2019s good news, especially for those who have cash on hand to buy an electric vehicle, that the federal and provincial incentives are still in place.<\/p>\n

However, instead of giving rebates which favour the rich, I wish these programs would instead offer low- or free-interest loans which would be more likely to help those with less cash on hand.<\/p>\n

The ridiculous savings of driving an electric car would probably cover the loan payments, especially for less costly used electric vehicles.<\/p>\n

Stuart Williams<\/p>\n

Winnipeg<\/p>\n

Greater provincial achievements<\/p>\n

Re: Kinew should make \u2018history\u2019 again with tax relief, beleaguered Manitobans say<\/a> (March 31)<\/p>\n

Wab Kinew is quoted as saying that his 2024 gas tax holiday was \u201cthe most important thing that a provincial government ever did in the history of Manitoba.\u201d<\/p>\n

My first reaction was that it must be an early April Fools\u2019 joke. Apparently not. And unfortunately, it is the type of self-aggrandizing hyperbole we hear from another politician these days.<\/p>\n

Is it really more important than, say: Premier Duff Roblin\u2019s construction of the Red River Floodway? A courageous decision that cost the Tories the next election and was criticized as \u201cDuff\u2019s ditch\u201d by many (until their homes were saved by it).<\/p>\n

Premier Ed Schreyer\u2019s amalgamation of a hodgepodge of municipal governments in the Greater Winnipeg area into \u201cUnicity\u201d to provide co-ordination and consistency in municipal services? Or his introduction of public auto insurance that has been so successful, it has not been seriously challenged in the 50 years since?<\/p>\n

Premier Gary Filmon\u2019s work to address the financial mess he inherited (that was subsequently exacerbated by Prime Minister Jean Chretien \u201csolving\u201d the federal deficit by reducing transfer payments to the provinces)? In 1995, Filmon achieved Manitoba\u2019s first balanced budget in 20 years and two years later, lead the fight against the \u201cFlood of the Century.\u201d<\/p>\n

Premier Gary Doer who balanced the provincial budget for 10 consecutive years and enhanced the Red River Floodway to provide even more protection than its initial design?<\/p>\n

The premiers on these and many other issues, focused on balancing legacy achievements with fiscal prudence. Wab Kinew may one day join the pantheon of Manitoba premiers above but a one year cut to the gas tax that significantly increases Manitoba\u2019s deficit was not even a good start.<\/p>\n

Robert Pruden<\/p>\n

Winnipeg<\/p>\n

Premier Wab Kinew\u2019s decision to suspend the provincial tax on gasoline most certainly made life for some Manitobans slightly more affordable but it\u2019s far from being the most consequential financial decision a leader of the the province has ever made.<\/p>\n

That distinction would go to Duff Roblin, whose persistence in building the floodway has saved billions of dollars over the course of its lifetime and will continue to do so with each and every spring that the Red River overflows its banks.<\/p>\n

The ramifications of the gas tax are a welcome albeit temporary respite whereas Roblin\u2019s actions will benefit Manitoba\u2019s treasury for generations to come. There are times when historical context does truly matter.<\/p>\n

Dan Donahue<\/p>\n

Winnipeg<\/p>\n

Social workers are professionals<\/p>\n

Re: Khan in hot water over \u2018deeply dismissive\u2019 social worker remarks<\/a> (April 1)<\/p>\n

I am writing regarding Obby Khan\u2019s remarks in the Manitoba Legislative Assembly on March 26 in which he stated that social workers are \u201cnot mental health professionals.\u201d<\/p>\n

Those comments have caused significant concern within Manitoba\u2019s social work community and among those of us who have worked for decades in child welfare, public systems leadership, and mental health service delivery.<\/p>\n

I am a long-standing advocate for the profession of social work and have served in senior leadership roles within Manitoba\u2019s public service and child welfare systems, including as Manitoba\u2019s advocate for children and youth, executive director of the Child Protection Branch, and chief executive officer of Winnipeg Child and Family Services.<\/p>\n

Across these roles, I have worked alongside, and relied upon, the expertise of registered social workers as essential providers within multidisciplinary mental health and human service systems.<\/p>\n

In Manitoba, registered social workers are regulated professionals under provincial legislation. The practice of social work is defined in The Social Work Profession Act, and the Manitoba College of Social Workers identifies the scope of practice as including many who provide psychosocial assessments and interventions, counselling, psychotherapy, group therapy, family therapy, and related services. Many social workers provide frontline mental health assessment, counselling, crisis response, trauma-informed care, and therapeutic intervention across community, health, child welfare, school, and justice-related settings.<\/p>\n

To suggest that social workers are not mental health professionals risks misrepresenting both their legislated role and their actual practice. It also risks undermining public confidence in services that Manitobans rely upon every day.<\/p>\n

Khan\u2019s remarks carry broader implications. Statements made in the legislature shape public understanding of professions, influence policy dialogue, and affect recruitment and retention in already strained service systems. At a time when Manitoba continues to face significant mental-health workforce pressures, accuracy and care from elected leadership matter.<\/p>\n

This concern is especially important considering Manitoba\u2019s recent advancements in workplace safety and health legislation recognizing psychological safety in the workplace. Social workers routinely work in complex, high-exposure environments involving cumulative psychological demands. Leadership statements that diminish or mischaracterize their professional role contribute to workplace strain and undermine broader efforts to build psychologically safer environments for those delivering essential public services. Accurate representation of professional roles is a meaningful component of supporting workforce well-being in these sectors.<\/p>\n

For these reasons, I respectfully request that Khan:<\/p>\n

Issue a correction in the Legislative Assembly acknowledging that registered social workers in Manitoba are regulated professionals whose scope of practice includes the provision of mental health services; and
\nProvide a public clarification through media channels to help ensure Manitobans receive accurate information about the role social workers play within the province\u2019s mental health system.<\/p>\n

This is not simply a matter of professional pride. It is a matter of public understanding, workforce respect, and confidence in the services that support vulnerable children, families, and communities across Manitoba.<\/p>\n

Social workers are essential contributors to Manitoba\u2019s mental health infrastructure. Their work deserves to be represented accurately and responsibly by those entrusted with public leadership.<\/p>\n

I would welcome the opportunity to see this matter addressed promptly and constructively.<\/p>\n

Daphne Penrose<\/p>\n

Winnipeg<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Wish for loan program Re: Carney says he\u2019s still committed to green incentives promised during leadership race (April…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":581413,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[194296],"tags":[49,48,22073],"class_list":{"0":"post-581412","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-winnipeg","8":"tag-ca","9":"tag-canada","10":"tag-winnipeg"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/581412","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=581412"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/581412\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/581413"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=581412"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=581412"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=581412"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}