Manitoba education minister says U of M stepping in to help worried midwifery students

Manitoba's minister of education says steps are being taken to addressconcerns from students inthe provincial midwifery program, in particularat the University College of the North.

Ian Wishart said Thursday the University of Manitoba is stepping in to work with UCN and meetings have been scheduled with the students.

"We're concerned about the students in the program. They are uncertain about their futures and it's very important we do something to reassure them," saidWishart.

Back in 2006, the University College of the North (UCN) launched amulti-million-dollarmidwifery program with a mandate to solve the midwife shortage, especially in remote northern communities.

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The northern version of the provincialprogram has been plagued with difficulties for several years, including low enrolment rates at UCN.There weren't enough practising midwives available to train practicum students.

"The problems with the program is going [on] eight years, I can't give you all the details. The department [of education]has worked with them a number of times. The [problems]had been resolved, but they flared up again in the middle of the term," Wishart said.

He says there were concerns raised by the College of Midwives about the quality of the program and whether students would graduate. Wishartmentioned alack of midwives to help train students as one of several problems.

Students fear funding cut

The students of the Bachelor of Midwifery Program Class of 2019 said they are aware of conversations around the future of their program.

"We are hoping for a positive outcome for us as current students, the future of our Midwifery Program and for all Manitoba families,"students wrotein anemailedstatement Saturday.

Theysaidthey are concerned because it appears funding for the programhas been "cut' or otherwise omitted from the provincial budget tabled recently.

"The reason to why our program was picked to be excluded from funding is unknown to us and has come as quite a shock," the students write.

"Without this funding, midwifery cannot become sustainable within Manitoba. Without this funding we as students fear that we will not be able to find employment here when and if we do graduate. This would be a shame for us, this would be a shame for the women and families of Manitobaand this would be a shame for taxpayers."

Province not cutting funding: Minister

Wishart said the government was not considering cutting funding or cancelling the program at this time, but things will change.

"The program will continue on in some form but it obviously needs to make changes because the current, existing program ...is not acceptable. So there will have to be some changes," he said.

"Exactly what the format will be by this fall is a little hard to predict at this point, but consultation will definitelyincludethe students as well," Wishart says.

Wishart says the future of the program in the north will depend on getting the proper standards in place for accreditation.

Fort Rouge NDP MLA Wab Kinewexpressed concerns about the future of the midwife program, noting the importance of continuing to have anIndigenous focus and that itstill be run by UCN.

"Northerners, and particularly northern First Nations, have been consistently saying that they want birthing to return to their communities. They want parents to welcome their children into the world at home," Kinew said.

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