Lorraine and Sonney Pinnock are worried about the well-being of an elderly woman after the province's public trustee revoked their power of attorney rights.
The Pinnocks had been caring for their longtime friend Olga Cumberbatch, 84, who lives with diabetes and dementia. The couple has known Cumberbatch for about 30 years.
Cumberbatch granted them power of attorney over her affairs in 2007, said the Pinnocks.
Last spring, the province's public trustee revoked those powers.
"They thought it was bogus," said Lorraine Pinnock.
Cumberbatch has been living since then in Parkview Place care home in downtown Winnipeg, where she recently fell.
"I'm very upset because I feel we were giving her much better care at home," said Lorraine Pinnock.
The public trustee wouldn't comment on specific cases, but said the office usually gets involved because community members have asked for an investigation.
"Perhaps they aren't able to make the decisions, perhaps they're making bad decisions, perhaps they're unavailable," said Joanna Knowlton, Manitoba public trustee.
The public trustee is brought in on cases such as Cumberbatch's about 100 times each year.
Manitoba Liberal Leader Jon Gerrard said it's an abuse of power.
"This should not be happening in Manitoba it needs to addressed immediately by the government if they have any shred of morality left," said Gerrard.
The Pinnocks maintain they cared for Cumberbatch both physically and financially.
"We never abused anything. Whatever we took out (financially) was for her," said Lorraine Pinnock.
Cumberbatch's lawyer wouldn't comment Monday because he doesn't currently have her permission.
Justice Minister Andrew Swan oversees the public trustee portfolio but was unavailable for comment Monday.
The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority oversees Cumberbatch's care home and said it has not received any complaints or critical incidents reports related to her care at the facility.
- with a report from CTV's Laura Lowe
