October 16, 2013

CO-OPS FLOURISH, SERVE MORE MANITOBANS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PROVINCE: IRVIN-ROSS

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Co-op Week Oct. 13 to 19 Celebrates Successes of Growing Sector

A growing number of Manitobans are turning to co-ops to serve their needs in everything from financial services to providing gas, food, hardware, the trades, music, art and even a home, Housing and Community Development Minister Kerri Irvin-Ross said today in recognizing Oct. 13 to 19 as Co-op Week.
“The co-operative spirit Manitobans exhibit through credit unions, caisse populaires and a variety of co-op business ventures can be credited for the success of many social and economic developments throughout the province,” said Irvin-Ross.  “The Manitoba government is proud to closely work with the co-operative community to support and bring awareness to the long lasting benefits of co-operatives.”
As part of the ongoing Co-operative Community Strategy, the minister said the province supports a number of important initiatives that foster and build upon the social and economic benefits that co-operatives provide.  The strategy is co-ordinated by a partnership with the Manitoba Cooperative Association, the Conseil de développement économique des municipalités(CDEM) and the provincial government.  Some of the initiatives under the Co-operative Community Strategy that were achieved this year include:

• the development of youth co-ops through support from Youth Services Cooperatives, co-ordinated by CDEM, to work with communities to develop opportunities for students ages 12 to 17;
• the development of the provincial Youth Caucus Jeunesse, a program that brings youth together to brainstorm ideas for developing youth-driven projects reflecting co-op values;
• a new website that allows co-operatives to more easily find resources and supports for education, promotion and development;
• the Co-op Housing Community Mobilizer Project which assists in the development of new housing co-operatives through research activity, policy analysis and hands-on work with community proponents;
• the Co-operative Research Fund which offers grants to stimulate, broaden and sustain the development of a socially and economically successful Manitoba co-operative community; and
• the inclusion of a chair in co-operative management at the University of Winnipeg, intended to foster learning and research to promote greater awareness and understanding of the importance of co-operatives throughout the province.

There are currently 361 non-financial co-operatives and 37 credit unions in the province extending services to 47 per cent of Manitobans through hundreds of branches and with combined assets of $22 billion.  The co-op model has the advantage of bringing together specific expertise in different areas required for a strong business, the minister noted.
“Because co-operatives are organized by members with a common need, goal or ideal, members have a greater stake in the health of the organization, they have a high success rate and are more resilient to economic upheavals than other types of businesses,” Irvin-Ross said.  “Co-ops also keep profits locally, thereby increasing the wealth of their communities.”

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Youths pursuing their dreams

Becoming a doctor is wonderful if that is your passion but if it is the passion of your parents, your teachers or anyone else for you, you must ask yourself what would make me happy, what am I passionate about and follow your heart.

August 21, 2013

HEALTH MINISTER WELCOMES STUDENTS TO THE START OF MEDICAL STUDIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA

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Gender Parity, Diversity Mark Class of 2017: Oswald

Members of another full class of 110 medical students are beginning their journey towards a rewarding career in medicine and this class has nearly as many women as men and includes many with rural roots, Health Minister Theresa Oswald announced today.
“Since we expanded the opportunities and the supports for medical students in Manitoba, we have seen that investment pay off,” said Oswald.  “We have a record number of doctors practising in Manitoba and we hope this diverse group of students will make the most of the excellent training they receive and enjoy long and happy careers in Manitoba.”
The Manitoba government has made recruiting and retaining physicians in rural areas a priority, with extensive investments to encourage graduates to either return or experience the rewards of practising in a rural setting, the minister said.
“There’s a lot of hard work and study ahead, but we congratulate these dedicated students on their commitment to excellence.  We will continue to invest in our health facilities and modern technology to make our province an attractive place for physicians to live and work, and we look forward to having them join the growing complement of Manitoba physicians when they graduate.”
The minister said significant investments have been made to train and recruit physicians since 1999 including:

• expanding medical school spaces by nearly 60 per cent at the University of Manitoba to 110 from 70 and introducing more medical residencies in rural Manitoba;
• introducing a tax rebate program to reimburse students for up to 60 per cent of their tuition costs;
• introducing financial grants to medical students who agree to return service in Manitoba including a new free medical school grant for students who practise in underserved communities;
• establishing new programs to help international medical graduates receive conditional registration to begin practising in Manitoba; 
• introducing resettlement and specialist funds to encourage providers to practise in areas of need; and
• investing in new health facilities, electronic health records, state-of-the-art medical equipment and other tools that help attract new physicians and deliver quality care to Manitobans.

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