COLUMN: Report from the Legislature – Little accomplished for Manitoba

The fall session of the Manitoba Legislature came to a close this past week.

The failures of the NDP Government were on full display this fall, as little was accomplished for Manitobans.

Rather than take concrete action on such pressing matters as affordability, crime, healthcare, and Manitoba’s weakening economy, this failed government chose instead to focus on symbolic gestures and bullying rhetoric as they sought to mislead Manitobans.

Manitobans are struggling to afford the basic essentials of life. Violent crime continues to surge in our province. ER wait times can exceed 20 hours to see a doctor, and long time NDP supporters the Manitoba Nurses Union give this government a D minus on their performance as hospitals are grey listed and patients die in ER waiting rooms. After a mere two years of NDP rule, Manitoba has the weakest economy in Canada and we are hemorrhaging jobs and investment as businesses pack up and leave town. All as the out-of-touch NDP smile and pat themselves on the back for a job well done.

Only one significant piece of legislation was passed this fall, Bill 48 the government’s new detox centre for those high on methamphetamemes. While PCs did eventually vote in favour (as there was overwhelming public support for the idea) it was not without reservations, given the NDP’s lack of a clear plan to keep healthcare workers and inmates safe. The NDP government’s choice to announce a drug consumption site—the detox site’s original purpose—nearby the day after the legislature rose for the Christmas break shows just how disingenuous and secretive this government is. Clearly this was their plan all along. They just didn’t want to have to debate it or answer the tough questions. PCs have been clear: the best way to help those struggling with addictions is to get them into treatment, not to give them government sponsored drugs. Manitoba’s NDP are following the same failed and disastrous playbook of the B.C. NDP and Trudeau Liberals—which led to Vancouver being ground zero for the opioid crisis and the thousands of opioid related deaths. Moreover, the government’s plan in no way addresses the growing scourge of drugs and drug-related crime in rural areas.

While the NDP government showed their incompetence, Manitoba’s PCs showed their common sense, bringing forward numerous pieces of legislation and resolutions to benefit Manitobans. Among these was a resolution on affordability, calling on the government to finally address the price of groceries and other essentials that Manitoba families are struggling to afford.

As your MLA, I was active in bringing forward several matters important to southeast residents, including requesting emergency action for our agriculture sector, and the urgent need to reverse the current trend of businesses and investment dollars leaving our province due to the NDPs taxes and regulatory backlog. Whether in manufacturing, mining, value-added agriculture, building, or forestry, millions of dollars in business and investment are fleeing our province under the NDP.

I also had the opportunity to present a private members bill, Bill 222 which would empower municipalities to set speed limits within their own jurisdictions. As it stands, only the Minister of Transportation can currently authorize these changes. Given her complete lack of knowledge surrounding the infrastructure file, she is joining numerous (equally clueless) cabinet colleagues in ignoring the problem and hoping it just goes away. As the minister chooses willful ignorance, the Department of Transportation has arbitrarily made changes to certain speed zones—including in Marchand—causing a significant danger to public safety. PCs believe those who live in a community better understand the needs of that community, and that RMs should be authorized to set speed limits within their own boundaries.

As the session wound down for Christmas, we were also pleased to bring forward a bill to recognize the month of December as Christian Heritage Month. Christianity has and continues to play a vital role in the shaping and social well-being of our province, and it is high time Manitoba’s significant Christian population received the same recognition as other religious groups. What better time than the Christmas season when we practice charity and generosity as we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.

In that vein, I wish all of my constituents—and all Manitobans—a very merry Christmas and a happy new year.

As always, if you have any needs or questions related to the provincial government, you can reach me at info@konradnarth.ca or call my constituency office at 204-434-6736.