Manitoba Health Minister Theresa Oswald does not appear terribly bothered by critical comments Ultimate Fighting star Brock Lesnar delivered Wednesday about the quality of care he received in the Brandon hospital.
The UFC champion and former professional wrestler was hospitalized for four days at the facility in November when he became sick while on a hunting trip in southwestern Manitoba.
He told reporters Wednesday that he received "Third World" treatment, said some equipment wasn't working, and suggested his wife "saved his life" by checking him out of the hospital and driving him to a facility in Bismarck, N.D., instead.
Lesnar, a self-proclaimed conservative Republican, admitted that he made the comments in an effort to influence opinion about U.S. President Barack Obama's plans to reform the American health care system, a plan that is the substance of intense political debate in the U.S.
Oswald said Thursday that although she takes complaints about patient care seriously, she'll take this one with a grain of salt.
"If this is more about partisan American politics and bashing American health care reform I'm not interested in getting engaged in that. They can have that debate down south," Oswald said. "I will listen to critics and learn from critics but also evaluate the point of view from which they're coming."
When asked whether she was bothered by Lesnar's comments, Oswald said "In the context of a partisan American political debate, no."
Oswald said she has never watched one of Lesnar's fights and suggested that if he is considered a celebrity, then the bar for fame is set pretty low these days.