The Manitoba process

 Hello ladies and gents, 
I'm visiting from the Ontario forum and I have some questions for you all.  These are for a friend of mine from The Peg who is considering following in my footsteps. 

Tell me about the process in Manitoba from referral to surgery.  Do you go to orientation, visit a social worker, dietitian and internal specialist and so on?
I don't expect an encyclopedia (but if you feel like writing one I won't object)  Just  a ballpark as to what she can expect to go through on her journey would be great.

Thank you in advance!  

 You have to go to your Family Doctor for a referal.  A few months later you recieve a letter letting you know whether or not you fit the criteria for the trial program. You are then contacted to attend a group session.  After that you must meet with the surgeon, who decides whether or not you still fit the criteria.  If you do, then you meet with a dietician, and psych who will let the surgeon know if you are ready for surgery.  If they all think you are ready for surgery, then you get a date.. 

I only got to the point of referal, I was referred last December, and I got a letter in February saying that I qualified under their criteria, which is female, under the age of 55, BMI between 37 and 47 and no comorbidities. 
There was a phone number on the letter to call if I had any questions, so I asked how long the process will take, they said it's about 3 years right now and could be more if they open up the criteria. 

I decided to self pay and go to Mexico because I didn't want to wait 3 years. 

 I am on the same time line as Justmest, have only gotten the letter saying I am accepted.