Advocacy for the MRT profession at the provincial level, with government and other stakeholders, is an important function of a provincial association. CAMRT-MB endeavors to identify and address advocacy needs related to the most pressing issues for the MRT profession in Manitoba. Identification of advocacy priorities will be an important and ongoing function of the CAMRT-MB Advisory Council, but we also invite individual members to contact CAMRT-MB to express their views and priorities.
Current Initiatives
Meeting with Government
CAMRT-MB was invited to a meeting with the Honorable Uzoma Asagwara, Minister of Health, Seniors, and Long-Term Care on February 13, 2024. We are pleased to inform our members that the Minister has asked us to continue to communicate and collaborate as they continue their mandate to transform the healthcare system in Manitoba. Prior to the meeting, CAMRT-MB provided a Written Submission for the 2024 Manitoba Budget to the Ministers of Health and Finance. This submission formed the basis of our conversations with the Minister on February 13. Click here to view the CAMRT-MB Written Submission for the 2024 Manitoba Budget.
Click here to view highlights from the 2024 Manitoba Budget which do/may apply to MRTs.
Update: On March 27, 2024, CAMRT-MB did receive a response from the Minister of Finance, Honorable Adrien Sala regarding our written submission to the 2024 Manitoba Budget. To view the response, click here.
Letters to Government
To end out 2024, CAMRT-MB sent a letter to Premier Wab Kinew in response to the Throne Speech, which was shared with Manitobans on November 19. To view the letter, click here.
On June 25, 2024, CAMRT-MB sent a letter to PC Health Critic Kathleen Cook in response to her calls on the Manitoba Government to expand the age range for self-referral breast imaging to include those in the 40-49 year age group. To view our letter, click here. We immediately received a response from MLA Kathleen Cook’s office requesting a meeting and we were able to meet with MLA Cook and a member of her staff on July 8, 2024.
CAMRT-MB in collaboration with the Manitoba Self-Regulation Committee and the MAMRT sent a letter to the Minister of Health on August 3, 2023. This letter notified the Minister of the dissolution of the MAMRT, continued work of the Self-Regulation Committee and request for a revision to the Regulated Health Professions Act General Regulation R117. As it stands, The RHPA General Regulation R117 requires membership with the Manitoba Association of Medical Radiation Technologists for MRTs to qualify for exemptions related to reserved acts. We have asked for a change to this wording to be reflective of the new provincial services model under CAMRT. We are awaiting response from the Health Minister. To view the letter that was sent to the Minister of Health, click here.
At the conclusion of the October 2023 election, CAMRT-MB wrote a letter to the new Minister of Health to introduce the MRT profession as well as highlight some data from recent Mental Health Research conducted by CAMRT. We also requested a meeting with the Minister. In response to this letter, the Honorable Uzoma Asagwara, Minister of Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care invited us to a meeting at the Legislature Building on February 13, 2024. To view the letter, click here.
In the Media
In September 2024, many media outlets reached out to CAMRT-MB for comment regarding the provincial MRI wait times and marketing from U.S. clinics offering MRI scans in days rather than months. See these stories here:
Private U.S. clinics lure Manitobans facing long MRI, diagnostic service waits | CBC News
MRI services in North Dakota being advertised in Winnipeg | CTV News
On March 24, 2024, CAMRT-MB issued a Press Release regarding our concerns for increasing provincial wait times for MRI scans. We were fortunate to have been interviewed by both CBC Winnipeg and Winnipeg Free Press regarding this release. Click here to view a copy of our press release.
CityNews coverage can be found here: MRI wait times rising in Manitoba (citynews.ca)
Winnipeg Free Press opinion article by Tom Brodbeck can be found here
CBC coverage can be found here: More MRI techs needed to combat wait times as burnout figures rise, association says | CBC News
Winnipeg Free Press coverage can be found here: Groups hope budget includes funding for more MRI techs – Winnipeg Free Press
Express Weekly News article can be found here: Express Weekly News
May 30, 2024 Opinion column by Tom Brodbeck: There’s nothing else for province to study; earlier screening for breast cancer saves lives – Winnipeg Free Press. CAMRT-MB response to Mr. Brodbeck can be found here
On April 6, 2023, CAMRT-MB Provincial Manager, Dayna McTaggart was interviewed by CTV Winnipeg’s Michelle Gerwing regarding a recently installed PET scanner at the John Buhler Research Centre in Winnipeg. Click here to see the story.
MRT Week
MRT Week 2024
MRT week will be taking place November 3-9, 2024. CAMRT-MB has submitted a proclamation request to the Manitoba Government to officially proclaim MRT week as well as a request to the City of Winnipeg to light up the Winnipeg Sign and Esplanade Riel in the CAMRT colors. Thank you to our volunteer members who took the time to submit proclamation requests to local towns, cities and municipalities in the province!
Thank you to the City of Winnipeg who will be lighting up the WINNIPEG sign and Esplanade Riel on November 8 in recognition of MRT week!
The Province of Manitoba has also proclaimed MRT Week! View the proclamation and accompanying letter here.
We are excited to announce the following communities have proclaimed MRT Week 2024:
- Teulon – click here to view the proclamation
- Thompson – click here to view the proclamation
- Ste Rose – click here to view the proclamation
- Portage la Prairie – local MRTs will be attending an in-person proclamation signing on November 4.
- Dauphin – click here to view the proclamation
- Minnedosa – click here to view the resolution
- Norfolk Trehern – click here to view the resolution
- Westlake-Gladstone – click here to view the proclamation
- The Pas – click here to view the proclamation
- RM of Yellowhead – click here to view the proclamation
- City of Brandon – click here to view the proclamation
- City of Selkirk – click here to view the proclamation
To access additional MRT Week 2024 information click here.
MRT Week 2023
This year MRT week will take place from November 5-11. CAMRT-MB has submitted a request to the City of Winnipeg to light up the Esplanade Riel and Winnipeg sign in the CAMRT colors during this special week.
We are also proud to announce that the Honorable Uzoma Asagwara, Minister of Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care has sent greetings and has Proclaimed November 5-11 as Medical Radiation Technologists Week in Manitoba. View the Proclamation here, and view the greeting from the Health Minister here.
Member Resources
We are happy to provide quick access to resources our members can use when promoting and advocating for the profession. If there is additional information you would like to access that is not provided here, please contact Dayna at [email protected]
Professional promotion posters: Radiography, Nuclear Medicine, Radiation Therapy, Magnetic Resonance
MRT education programs for Manitoba Students poster
Provincial Mental Health Survey Infographic
Manitoba MRT Burnout Comparison 2018-2023
You can find letters by CAMRT-MB to government officials / media etc. in the other sections on this page.
Find national advocacy materials and information created by CAMRT here
For information about the MRT profession geared toward the public visit imageofcare.ca
MRT Self Regulation
Self-regulation of MRTs in Manitoba is still a very important priority and the Ad-Hoc Committee for Self-regulation, established by the Manitoba Association of Medical Radiation Technologists (MAMRT), is still hard at work to accomplish this task.
In October 2021, the application for Self-Regulation was submitted to the Health Professions Advisory Council (HPAC). MRTs in Manitoba must now wait for the HPAC to review and investigate the application. The HPAC will also consider whether to proceed with public presentations, and following that, research, legal analysis and writing of the final report will also need to take place. It is anticipated that the review may take at least another year or two.
Update: In late 2023, CAMRT-MB was notified by the HPAC that the review of the application for self-regulation of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy Technologists was complete and the next step would be a province wide public consultation.
For more information regarding self-regulation click here