Dawson Trail Dispatch
Celebrating Over 25 Years of Service to Our Communities!
Brick by Brick - A Lesson in Community Initiative
The Centre Médico Social De Salaberry District Health Centre in St-Pierre-Jolys was built as a result of community involvement. Submitted photo
This fall marks the 25th anniversary of the construction of the Centre Médico Social De Salaberry District Health Centre. Two members of the community, Murielle Bugera and Shelley Curé, who spearheaded the Brick by Brick campaign leading to the construction, met up to reminisce about the efforts prior to and since. St-Pierre-Jolys’ first hospital was built in 1950. Prior to that, people seeking care had to travel to St. Boniface. Forty years later, the hospital board sought approval for a new construction as the building, built with post-war supplies, was showing deterioration. In 1991, Minister of Health Don Orchard attended a sod turning ceremony for a new hospital. Unfortunately, changes in government policy delayed funding and the project stalled. The two women, as part of the Crow Wing Trail Farm Women’s Institute, initi-
ated the “Brick by Brick” campaign. A canvas banner, which served as a petition, garnered 2000 signatures as it was circulated throughout the region. Today it hangs in the new Health Centre. The Brick by Brick campaign culminated with a rally of over 600 people on “McCrae Monday.” Health Minister Jim McCrae attended the standing room only event where he was presented with the banner that he was asked to keep until construction was underway. One would think that with the new brick and mortar in place that ‘mission was accomplished’, however for Bugera and Curé the work had just begun. Guided by the health regionalization’s mandate of having “community representatives play a role”, Curé served as vice president of the first South Eastman RHA Board and Bugera became first president of the RHA’s Western Continued on Page 5...
November 2021
Fully Vaccinated Manitobans Eligible for PVC When Travelling People in Manitoba who are fully vaccinated can now apply to receive a pan-Canadian proof of vaccination credential (PVC), which can be used when travelling domestically or internationally. “Manitoba is a leader in this critical area, offering the first secure immunization card in the country which has allowed our province to safely reopen, keep our schools, businesses and places of worship open, protect our hospitals and health-care staff, and has provided additional benefits to fully vaccinated Manitobans,” said Central Services Minister Reg Helwer. “The addition of the national credential is an important next step to support the safe resumption of travel within Canada and abroad for those who are fully vaccinated.” The pan-Canadian proof of vaccination credential uses a QR code that will be recognized across the country, Helwer noted. Individuals who currently have a Manitoba immunization card or are eligible for one can visit immunizationcard.Manitoba.ca to request their PVC. It will then be emailed as a PDF, which can be printed or available digitally. “More than 83 per cent of eligible Manitobans are now fully vaccinated and eligible to apply for their Manitoba and pan-Canadian immunization QR codes,” said Health and Seniors Care Minister Audrey Gordon. “In the fourth wave, it remains vital for even more Manitobans to get their first and second doses to help slow the spread of COVID-19 and protect themselves and those they care about against the virus.” The ministers noted the provincial government strongly recommends people continue to use Manitoba’s immunization card while in the province. The PVC includes more information, such as date of birth, date of immunization and the brand of vaccine received. Manitoba’s immunization card contains no personal health information, which better protects privacy. Manitoba’s immunization card app will be updated in November to include the PVC. At that time, people using the app will be able to toggle between them and choose which to present to a venue or business. The province’s verifier app will also be updated in November to read the QR codes on the national credential. This means businesses and other venues will not have to change the way they check immunization status as the federal card becomes more widely used. In the interim, Manitobans travelling in the first weeks of November can visit immunizationcard.Manitoba. ca to request a PDF version of the PVC, which will be sent by email.