A Mayor has the cure — But will the NDP do anything

After I wrote about Manitoba’s growing doctor shortage, I got a call from Steinbach Mayor Earl Funk. He wasn’t calling to complain — he had real solutions.

“You saw the article,” I asked him. “What’s going on in Steinbach?”

“We’ve got about 6,000 people without a family doctor,” Funk said. “And the system isn’t set up to keep the doctors we do attract.”

Right now, most new doctors coming to Steinbach are international medical graduates. Five out of seven this year. They’re welcome, but often head home within a decade. Funk’s point was blunt: without training and keeping Manitoba students, we’re just spinning our wheels.

“So even if we increase residency spots,” I asked, “we still leave the gap if we don’t increase Manitoba students?”

“Exactly,” Funk said. “It’s the same problem in ten years.”

His fix: dedicate medical school seats for Manitoba students who commit to family medicine in rural areas. Stream them through regional campuses like Brandon, give each region its own seats, and connect students to their home communities from the start. Ontario is already doing this.

“What about affordability?” I asked. “Medical school isn’t cheap.”

“We’re ready to offer scholarships or bursaries through the Bethesda Foundation,” Funk said. “Housing incentives. Loan support. Even daycare for health professionals.”

The daycare idea is smart. Build it across from the clinic. Let doctors and nurses drop off their kids and walk to work. Tech giants like Google and Tesla offer this. Why not Manitoba?

Funk’s second proposal: make Steinbach a regional hub and rotate doctors through nearby hospitals in Vita, Ste. Anne, and beyond. It keeps rural hospitals staffed, doctors’ skills sharp, and prevents isolation.

“Have you pitched this to the province?” I asked.

“We spoke to Manitoba Health. They were supportive… but surprised. We’ve heard nothing from the Minister’s office.”

That’s the problem. The NDP government talks about improving health care, but ideas like these should have them in Steinbach tomorrow. Instead, there’s silence.

The reality is we’re never going to fix the shortage by running ads in the U.S. or hoping doctors will just show up. We have to grow our own. Prioritize Manitoba students. Train them here. Keep them here. And give them the tools to succeed — from housing to child care.

Funk isn’t asking the province to do it all. Steinbach is already moving on incentives and partnerships. But without provincial leadership, communities like his are left to fight this battle alone.

So, Premier Kinew and Health Minister Asagwara — the solutions are on the table. This isn’t theory. It’s ready to go.

If you want to call it a pilot program or a study just to get moving, fine. But start now. Because the longer you wait, the longer Manitobans go without the doctors they desperately need.