Letters - Don’t privatize air service branch

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Published on Tuesday, August 7, 2018

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Neepawa Banner & Press

Confidential documents reported in April shows the Pallister government was interested in privatizing the government’s air service branch. This past week the government press conference stated they are exploring the option of privatizing both services.

This would mean the sell off of the public fleet of air ambulances and water bombers.

This is short term thinking on the part of the Pallister government. Liquidating an essential public service to balance the books in the short term is not a wise move.

The province owns and maintains 22 aircrafts providing air ambulance service to rural and remote communities as well as for forest fire suppression throughout the province.

Air ambulance is an essential service saving thousands of lives throughout the province. Manitoba forest fires are a reality so why are we chopping our water bombers. With global warming forest fires numbers will only increase. Does this government really believe that it’s cheaper to outsource both of these essential services.

A government spokesman stated that the expression of interest is currently being developed. In other words by the time you find out it will be a done deal.

In closing, I encourage Manitobans to contact their MLA on this matter.

Inky Mark, former MP

Dauphin, MB