'Business as usual' for Lifeflight, minister says, as province, NDP spar over service

For the second day in a row, New Democrats sparred with the governing Progressive Conservatives in the legislature over the maintenance of Manitoba's air ambulance services.

"It's a very important question. How are we keeping Lifeflight in the air 24/7?" NDP health critic Andrew Swan told reporters following question period on Thursday.

Swan raised concerns during question periodWednesdayabout the province's funding fortraining Lifeflight's pilots. The service provides air transport for critical Manitoba patients outside a 200-kilometre radius of Winnipeg.

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Swan alleged the province hadn't scheduled mandatory annual training for Lifeflight pilots, which he said would leave one of the program's eightpilots unable to fly by the end of November and ground two moreby the end of the year.

The government didn't address the issue on Wednesday, but when Swan raised the question again on Thursday, Infrastructure Minister Ron Schuler said the province has already committed $300,000 for the training, which he said will begin in November as usual.

"The training will continue. Our aircraft, we'll continue to maintain them, and it will be business as usual," Schuler said.

But Michelle Gawronsky, president of the Manitoba Government and General Employees' Union that represents Lifeflight pilots, said the province needs to hire additional pilots to properly staff the service. Formerly, Lifeflightwould have had 12 pilots on staff, she said, plus casuals.

"[Training is]fine, but it still is not filling any of the holes that are there," she said. "It's not filling any of the vacancies."

According to Gawronsky, Lifeflight staff are being given night shifts, while private carriers are covering day shifts for the service.

When asked about thevacancies Schuler said Lifeflight is operating at a full complement of pilots.

No Lifeflight available for 4 hours in September

According to the province's website, Lifeflight services are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

But Gawronskyand Swan allege no Lifeflight aircraftwas available private or otherwise on two occasions in September.

A spokesperson for the province told CBC News in an email there was a roughly 4-hour period starting late Sept. 30 when no planes were availableafter a mechanical issue occurred on one aircraft during a call to Brandon.

The patient was transported by ground ambulance without incident, he said, and an aircraft was available for Lifeflight by 3:15 a.m. on Oct. 1.

"There were no other calls for transport during the period of time where a plane was unavailable for use, and there have been no other instances in the past year where Lifeflight service was unavailable," the spokesperson wrote.

On Thursday, Schuler said he didn't know the specifics of individual cases, but there are times when mechanical issues or maintenance combined with high demand could mean air transport isn't available. In those cases, ground transportation is provided, he said.

"Again, it comes down to demand and we can't figure out what the demand's going to be in the morning," he said.

'Privatizationby stealth'

The Progressive Conservative government has already issued an expression of interest exploring marketplace capacity to privatize the province's Air Services Branch, which administers Lifeflight and other air ambulance and water-bomber services.

A document obtained by CBC News in April indicated the expression of interest would conclude on Aug. 1, with recommendations on whether to proceed with a request for proposals from private carriers.

• Manitoba government contemplates privatizing province-run air ambulances, water bombers

On Thursday, Schuler said submissions are currently under review.

'We, first of all, don't ever put an ideological filter on things. We've looked at a lot of different things that government does, and can the private sector provide that service better," he said. "No decisions have been made currently when it comes to Lifeflight."

But Swan said Air Services staff are concerned the province is attempting "privatization by stealth."

"Oh, they've made that very clear," Swan said.

"They've said they want to privatize the government air service, and employees who work in that service and other areas such as air ambulance have made it very clear they're worried about this government doing privatization by stealth."

Swan worriesgaps in the Lifeflightservice could be used as a justification to bring in a private operator.

Gawronsky said the province has an agreement to consult with the union about privatization. So far, she said, she's been told the idea is under consideration.