Premier Pallister pushed to define 'front-line' jobs

The Manitoba government was pressed in the legislature to back up its promise to protect front-line workers by actually specifying whatit considers to be afront-line worker.

The Progressive Conservatives announced this week that the province's financial situation is worse than the previous NDP-led government revealed. The PCs say Manitoba is facing a$1.012-billion deficit and it's promising to find $50 millionin savings.

Premier BrianPallisterdeclared on the first day of the electioncampaign earlier this year that he believes"there are no sacred cows" when it comes to cutting government spending. Butfour days before the election, the PCssaid a Torygovernment would "protect front-line services and the jobs of the workers who deliver them."

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On Thursday, the NDP demanded Pallisterexplain who those people are, so they know if their jobs are safe.

"Could the premier please let us know, what exactly is his definition of a front-line worker?" the NDP'sMatt Wiebe asked.

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Pallister said it's "difficult" and superfluousto provide a detailed list to the NDP.

"We've got hundreds andhundredsof job classifications. You want to get into a defining of a front-line worker? I think it's a mugs game," Pallister said.

"Ithink we all have a sense of who front-lineworkersare."

Added health MinisterKelvinGoertzen:"We'll ensure that the system is protected and respected today as well as for the children and grandchildren of the future, Madame Speaker."

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Pallistersaidthe NDP are continuingto play the politics of fear, which the party started during the latter half of the election campaign as polls made it clear they were falling behind in popularity.

"Trying to frighten people in the civil service seems to be the game the NDP want to play. They've been playing it for years, they've been playing it badly and they got rewardedfor playing it badly in the last election," he said.

Pallisterdid say a hospital wait time review he promised in the election couldbe organized by the fall andcertainlyno laterthan Christmas.