New Brunswick budget has nurses looking for a reason to stay
New Brunswick's health-care budget got passing marks from some, but nurses give the province a failing grade.
"Nova Scotia came out on Monday with their own retention initiatives and [premier] Houston's quotes on, 'We respect the nurses,'” said Maria Richard, vice president of the New Brunswick Nurses Union.
“We realized it's been a slap in the face of New Brunswick nurses."
Some highlights from New Brunswick's $12.2 billion budget announced Tuesday include:
- $44.9 million to increase wages for personal support workers in care homes
- $10.4 million to increase the number of doctors
- $29.7 million for recruitment and retention
On Monday, the Nova Scotia government announced that nurses are getting a $10,000 bonus and are being offered an additional $10,000 retention bonus if they sign on to work for two years.
However, the Higgs government was caught by surprise with this move from its neighbour.
"That was a disappointment. I'm not going to say anything different,” said New Brunswick Health Minister Bruce Fitch.
“Not to speak for the premier but I believe he was disappointed as well because it does put a lot of pressure on the other provinces."
Finance Minister Ernie Steeves says, "There's so much more to that story than just a $10,000 bonus."
“There's so much more to the health continuum and trying to change the continuum and work together. I don't think it's about money so much as it is about stopping them from working double shifts,” Steeves said.
The opposition says $30 million for retention is just a drop in the bucket.
"For him to be surprised, it's just another indication that they're not at the table, they're not aggressively pursuing this issue,” said official opposition leader Rob McKee.
“If we're going to sit on the sidelines, we're just going to get further behind."
The NB Health Coalition is pleased to see the money for personal support workers, but has other concerns.
"We think the whole health-care system would be better off if seniors were not occupying hospital beds right now,” said Bernadette Landry, co-chair of the NB Health Coalition.
“If they could receive more better care in their own homes where they want to live as long as possible."
New Brunswick's health coalition says factoring in inflation, the government still isn't spending enough to fix the ailing health-care system.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.