A new session of the Manitoba Legislature begins Tuesday afternoon and Health Minister Kelvin Goertzen says we can expect more adjustments to improve the health care system. He gives an example of one area the government is looking at in rural areas.

"In rural Manitoba, I think that particularly means the focus is on EMS, for example. There are a number of areas that I continue to hear from where they're concerned about their ambulance coverage, looking to get more full time paramedics that are trained to be out on location, to be in places that are most likely to get calls. I think, on the rural health side, that'll be a continued focus for us going forward and I imagine you'll hear more about that in the days ahead."

Goertzen adds Shared Health Services Manitoba is also continuing to work on consolidation plans.

"There will be changes in rural Manitoba and some are being looked at by Shared Health Services right now to make sure that they're well aligned in the system; Where can we ensure that we're getting things right in terms of consolidation, where consolidation is valuable. And, where can we get better services where you need better services. That's being looked at by Share Health right now."

Meanwhile, he says we can also expect the government to continue working on legislation to protect people's rights on matters of conscience, such as his Bill that was recently passed into law which protects medical professionals who do not wish to participate in assisted dying procedures.

"The world is evolving in ways that we could not have predicted ten or fifteen years ago and how we respond in making sure that there's a balance is also a continuing thing that we need to look at."

The new session begins this afternoon with the Throne Speech which will outline the government's plans.