A group of international students held a rally in Winnipeg, Manitoba, to urge Premier Wab Kinew to fulfill his promise to restore their health-care coverage. During the 2023 election campaign, Kinew’s NDP party pledged to reinstate the coverage, which was rescinded by the Progressive Conservative government in 2018. However, two years later, international students are still not eligible for provincial health insurance and are forced to pay for private insurance that provides limited coverage.
The students, who gathered outside the premier’s constituency office, expressed their frustration and anxiety about the lack of adequate health-care coverage. Omega Budhathoki, vice-president of external affairs at the University of Winnipeg Students’ Association, noted that students pay over $1,300 for a basic plan that does not cover essential services like prescription drugs. This has led to a situation where students are living in fear of getting sick, as they cannot afford the costs of medical care.
Judith Oviosun-Smith, one of the authors of a 2024 report on the issue, emphasized that the lack of health-care coverage is a major concern for international students. Many students are forgoing medical care due to the high costs, which can lead to critical illnesses and even loss of life. Oviosun-Smith stressed that restoring health-care coverage for international students should be a priority for the province.
In response to the rally, a ministerial spokesperson stated that the Health and Advanced Education departments are working on a solution. Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara acknowledged that restoring programs is more challenging than cutting them but reaffirmed the government’s commitment to reinstating health-care coverage for international students. The protesters are calling for coverage to be reinstated at the start of the next school year, citing their tiredness of waiting for a solution to this critical issue.